BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10409, 24 July 1912, Page 5

BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

United Press ’Association— ByEleotrio Telegraph—Copyright. London, July <#«>■ In the Honae of Commons, Mr Cbnrobill, dealing with the 8 °PP l0 ” mentary naval ostl mates. Baia ® German plans Involved remarkable expansion, strength and Bv 1920 the new German fleet would be —Forty-one battleships, twenty battle cruisers, and forty small cruisers, besides an ample pronortlon of destroyers and submarines. Nearly four-fifths would be maintained la permanent cammission. Snob a fleet would be about as numerous as, and superior in actual strength to. the recent fleet at Spithead. Cool, steady and methodical preparation over successive years would alone raise onr margin of naval power, it was useless to fling money about on impulse. We should learn from Germany, whose policy matches unswervingly. We must have an ample margin of strength instantly ready. The amount asked for in the scpoleraentary estimates would onlv bertha first and smallest instalment of the extra expenditure which the new law entails, Germany was spending about a million a year on submarines, and we cannot allow our lead to diminish. It was imperative swiftly to Increase folly commissioned battleships. From 1914 onward, we should have five battleship squadrons, comprising feety-ona battleships, compared with the Germans’ 29, whereof four squadrons would remain in full commission, It would be necessary largely to Increase the personnel In the next four years. He denied that the Admiralty had recourse to all available reservists. In the recent manoeuvres they only utilised four thousand bn 4 ; of sixty thousand available. ■ , The problem was not to supply men In war time, but to Increase the actual service ratings of thoas permanently employed. Ha foreshadowed »n increase in pay, and that he would m&ke definite proposals in autumn. The naval position in the Mediterranean was about to undergo important changes in view of the advent of Italian and Austrian Dreadnonghts. Ha demurred to the assumption that these Powers were likely to combine against ua, He demurred also to the suggestion that we ought to maintain local superiority in the Mediterranean over a combined fleet. Any attempt to confine supremacy to a nartiolar water was false strategy, and bad politics. They proposed to withdraw six older battleships, replaclag them with four Invincibles, also replacing armoured cruisers with more powerful ships. Lord Roberts, speaking at the Mansion Honae, said the Army was as unprepared lor war as in 1899 The experience of the Boer War was that P had not been efficient. Germany was well aware of the feebleness underlying onr proud boasting of naval and military strength. He had no hostility to Germany, but nil must see the danger of collision within the limit of time indicated by the convergence of the lines cf destiny which might ba accelerated say moment by a misunderstanding. New Zealand’a usual patriotism (Cheers) aided this course, A torpedo station will ba established as Alexandria. He paid a tribute to Mr Barden and “announced that Canada’s intentions will not be published until the delegates jlreiunied and'consulted with their colleagues. The unity of the Empire carries the safety of its component parts and probably carries she peace of the world. The pregrace of the Australian fleet unit is continuous and facilitates the new flees organisation by releasing men for service near home. Mr Balfour said Mr OhnrohsTl’fl survey touched not merely the issues of peace or war but revealed an ever I darkening cloud threatening from the European side, balanced by the that Canada is realising as New Z'-inland and the other Dominions 1 realised the changing situation of the Empire and the responsibility ; which the situation will inevitably 1 throw upon every component element, of the Empire, If we cannot ■ Jock forward to relief from the harden of armaments we can feel r,in-.t the resources of the Empire become increasingly available,, and we have behind us its whole strength. (Oheera.) Possibly an elastic Defence Committee provides interim machinery for consideration of policy. Mr Balfour said he believed an organisation of the Powers on a defensive basis would have made war impossible. The entente’s fleet Is not inadequate to 'meet any strain. Mr Asquith’agreed that grouping of the Powers would guarantee peace. We are most reluctant competitors in naval rivalry but the ax-' penditnre ie justified In order to secure onr Mioses, onr Dominions, onr commerce,'and peace. Mr Ramsay MacDonald said the Labour Party would taka its stand with the men in Germany who are opposed to an increase of the Navy. Lord Beresford said the immediate danger will come within the next two or three years. Russia’s fleet has been unready for a considerable time, but he did not blame her. The FxenOh navy would be a great support and therefore Britain must bear the brunt.

Received July 24, 10 a m. London, July 28 Mr Ramsay MacDonald, continuing the debate on the naval estimates, said ha viewed the statements in the House of Commons with much suspicion. “We are building for peace,” he said, “bnt the tone of diplomacy is not always peaceful. The whole attitude and temper of the German mind has been altered by provocative speeches inside and outside the House. 1 do not wish to detract from the spirit in which the co-operation of the Dominions has been referred to, bnt I realise that a great political revolution is contemplated in the government of the Empire whereby we will no longer have the sole decisive voice in Impstial policy.” The Daily Mall says although Mr Churchill stated that the Cabinet had granted all that was asked, bis present policy is totally different from his previous speeches. If Mr Ohnrchiil was right in March in withdrawing the battle fleet from Malta to strengthen the Worth Sea Meet, he mest now be wrong in sending the ships back to the Mediterranean The menace ia the North Sea has la diminished since March. Received Jniy 24, 1 p.m. London, July 23 The Uaioaisfilpapera consider Mr Churchill disappointing. Some oon-

sider that the margin of superiority is too narrow. „ The Times and the D,aily Mail consider that Mr Churchill has not provided for'newlconstrnction. H The Daily News Isays the appalling situation is due to friendships Implying antagonism to Germany.