THE BRITISH NAVY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 90, 6 August 1914, Page 4

THE BRITISH NAVY.

Notwithstanding all that has been said to the contrary the British Empire’s naval supremacy has been well maintained, and Britain’s fleets are probably better ready for emergency than any of those owned by the other great Powers. We like to think that the British builders have led the way in effectiveness of design as well as in excellence of construction, and to-day the British warships would go into battle with the confidence that is born of complete preparation. Some time ago Mr Alan H. Burgoyne, editor of the “Navy League Annual,” estimated that in the middle of 1914 Britain would have 82 Dreadnoughts ready for service, Germany 19, United States 10, France 8, Japan 6, Russia 4, Italy 4 and Austria 3. These figures have proved to be too large in some cases, nit the British Empire has kept pace with the estimate. “In this race of Dreadnoughts,” wrote Mr Burgoyne, “we are well ahead—ahead in numbers, well ahead in design, leading by an amount past computation in our personnel. For this, at least, I thank Heaven devoutly; the hegemony of the seas is vested, as always, in ships-of-the-line, and when ! note our position to-day and review our position in the future, I sleep right soundly in my bed.”