THE DEFENCE OF BRITAIN.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12408, 25 November 1908, Page 2

THE DEFENCE OF BRITAIN.

NEEDS OF THE ARMY. SPEECH BY EARL ROBERTS. '[PeESS ASSOCIATION — COPYKIGHT.I (Received Nov 24, 10.55 p.m.) .■.-.■■ .i. ■, London, Nov 24. In the House of Lords, Earl Roberts, in a mighty speech, moved:, "That the defence ot v ihc country necessitates the Government's immediate attention to the provision of an army so strong and efficient that, the most ! formidable foreign nation would hesitate to attempt a landing and that it- is also -desirable in view of the altored strategic ■: conditions in the North Sea, that the Govern-ment,-should, following Mr Balfour's precedent of 1905, make a statement on the invasion problem, and definite-' ly state the conclusions reached as a result of the recent inquiry by t3ie Committee on Imperial Defence. _ Earl Roberts disclaimed the slight-; ost hostility in Britain i<o Germany. Nevertheless, lie emphasised that his and Lord Lovat's inquiries convinced them that there were available at* all Dimes in German ports ships suflicient to convey 200,000 -soldiers. Tho latter could be collected without fuss on mobilisation, and 100,000 could be transported in the same number of ships, which Mr Balfour informed them in 1905 would be needed half ihat force. The debarkation would occupy far Jess time than Mr Balfour thought -necessary' for a' much smaller force. . Mr . Balfour's optimism .in stating thab' a serious invasion was not a possibility we need discuss had a most unfortunate effect . because the War Office which up to 1905 was preparing a , defence army equal to any emergency then contemplated had immediately stopped all scheme for resisting invasion, and decided that ri was only necessary to provide against a complete raid of 500 each. The public accepted the. statement with dolight- It was just what tfiey wanted to hear but '-iti was possible that our. fleets would' be misled and evaded, and an army landed, receiving , the 'help of 80,000 Germans now here in various" capacities, and all . trained soldiers; Eveni/s .in the Near East proved that nothing can save a "country unable to protect itself. ' No alliances and no treaties could avail. Every naiaon must depend on itself ; : . "We need a terTitorial force :of one miDion a " he con- ' eluded. • ' ' . . . .■' ■■ . Lords Lovat and.Milner supported /the motion, while lord Cromer commented upon Europe's recent elecr trio socks, H« hoped the statementH on the invasion prjblem would be deferred. Earl Crewe. in resisting the resolution, ncpfid the discuesion would .not -lead to frravy* misunderstanctinp; nhro'-id.- Ho admitted t':at. the: Cf;'nn^ry ought- h.> lje"iu p p. pif.ioi.tp i iii".f\- an i;;v;i;-icn, -iiowever r:;mota I tlift possibility., .addiupr- ■ ti»nt -the ■: Gom.'val Staff of .the- .. Army had y.cp!.pared ;i schwn f ; makiug'if; porfiib'a tv i- throw the . largest practicable forcp to any- given point at aby time it 1 wa.s- needed. ' ; -, ' " ■ Lord. Lansdowne. -said -neither Mr Balfour nor the Defence Coinmittfe claimed finality for the positibp of; ■■ 1905 and there had. been great changes since then. He asked for some general statemonti.uoluding information relating to the force to repel.invasion. , . ; ; The las* portion of the resolution was withdrawn, and the first part • was carried by 74 votes to 32.