THE BRITISH NAVY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 23, 24 May 1912, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

TEE "MANCHESTER GUARDIAN" FINDS FAULT. CANADA'S AWAKENING. 'Bv Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) London,' May 23. The "Manchester Guardian" questions'the Government's right to ask that the New Zealand shall be statu lied in British waters. The cruiser was given when the naval scare was at its height, under a complete misapprehension of the facts. All the prophecies of ruin then made have since been acknowledged to be ridiculous. It was a mistake once more to give the NewZealand Government the idea that British naval supremacy was endangered. Moreover, it was inconsistent with Mr. Churchill's policy of encouraging the colonies to make themselves responsible for their own defence. The plain explanation seems to be that the cruiser is one of the finest afloat, and the Admiralty has coveted it for Home water, and grudged it going to New Zealand, where it was not likely to be wanted, except for exhibition purposes. It is doubtful whether the Admiralty's policv of concentrating the nes ships in Homo waters is not being car ried too far. If there is trouble in China it might be a great convenience to have a first-class cruiser in Australian waters. "The Times' " Toronto correspondent says that the feeling in favour ol an adequate naval contribution bar made striking headway recently. Aftei Sir Wilfrid Laurier's defeat and apparent subsidence of acute leeiing between Britain and. Germany, Can nda seemed to be returning to her old indifference. It was now apparent that the arguments in favour of an Imperial Navy had sunk deep into the minds of the people. The dunces art that the ultimate policy w i'l ;ncird< .1 fleet of cruisers, naval colleges en the Pacific and Atlantic_ coats, w ; t.h battle-cruisers and Dreadnoughts. t> give the navy an Imporml va'ue tr,c whole sonstituting an integral portion of the imperial fleer.

THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Paris, May 23. The fact that Mr Asquith, Mi Churchill and Lord Kitchener will confer at Malta is interpreted as in nowise leaving the guardianship of the .Mediterranean exclusively to Franco The indications of British strategical concentration in the North Sea do noi prevent the effective protection of tin Empire's communications, and iti strategical realities are unaffected bj the problems which Canada, Australia and New Zealand are preparing to fa Of co-morrow. Nevertheless the JVench newspapers are apprehensive lest the action of Italy in the Aegean Sea should be ultimately utilised by tin Triple Alliance to the advantage of the constituting partners, as far as th. Eastern Mediterranean is concerned.