POWERS AND NAVIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13676, 19 August 1908, Page 5

POWERS AND NAVIES.

OFFER OF FUNDS. Pa-ess Association-By Telegraph-Copyright LONDON, August 17. The "Daily Telegraph" says that the Government is considering an offer from financiers to find £100,000,005 on nominal terms to meet the necessities of the British fleet, without disorganising the annual Maudgets. The offer of aid has been made in consequence of the renewed competition in naval armaments abroad, and is intended to show a determination to maintain the two-power standard. The revenue wouCd meet K.he normal expenditure and the loan fund special requirements. An influential section of the Cabinet supports ,the wffer. The " Daily News" utterly discredits the report, after the recent speeches on | the folly of a Navy scare, and adds that the country would not tolerate increased taxation to meet a Navy panic. PREMATURE AGITATION. BERLIN, August 17. .. Prince 1 Bulow's organ, the "Suddeut-sche-Reiche Correspondent' hints that the premature agitation for disarmament is calculated to impede th British-and German efforts to (understand the aims 'of each other's naval policy. QUESTION OF ARMAMENTS. WIDE PRESS COMMENT. Received 11.7 p.m., August 18th. LONDON, August 18. While not denying the possibility of some loan of a reasonable amount for navy expansion in the event of circumstances "demanding it, city circles are unfavourable to such an operation, because of its effect on consols and , securities. Careful inquiry failed to discover the financiers alluded to in the "Telegraph's" story, as offering the loan. The entire tTnionist press censure Mr Churchill and Mr Lloyd George . for' interfering in Sir E. Grey's department. The " Express" foreshadows the ultimate issue of the British naval loan in instalments. The '■Westminster Gazette", favours a loan to enable Britain to fix her shipbuilding for four years, subject to modification if Germany modifies her programme. • \' BERLIN, August 18. The German Conservative) newspapers ire emphatic that Germany cannot even consider allowing the ideas of another Power to influence her on the question of armaments. PARIS, August 18. The French newspapers, re-echo British opinion that the situation tends to less tension and an -ultimate halt in shipbuilding. If it comes, it must now be left to develop from the German end.