THE MEDITERRANEAN.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13455, 28 June 1912, Page 5

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

WITHDRAWAL OF THE FLEET.

CONDEMNED BY^ LORD ROBERTS

FINAL DECISION NOT REACHED

(Received June 27, 11.5 p.m.)

London, June 27

Lord Roberts, addressing the National Service League, said lie hoped the country would speedily''realise that the withdrawal of the battleships from the Mediterranean would endanger the Empire and lower our prestige in Egyptian and Indian eves.

In tho House of Commons, the Premier, in reply to a question, said the naval force in the Mediterranean A-as still under consideration, and tho Imperial Defence Committee- would be consulted.

Admiral Lord-Charles Berssford, in a letter to the newspapers, says tho fleet is short of between 4000 and 5000 men on active service, and 20,000 for future requirements. Tho Admiralty has more ships at this moment than it can use.

Mr Winston Churchill, First Lord of tho Admiralty, announced that the review at Spithead on the 9th of July would comprise the greatest fleet ever assembled in the world's history.