"COMING NAVAL WARS."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9254, 5 June 1908, Page 2

"COMING NAVAL WARS."

* : ALARMIST VISION OF A FRENCH EXPERT. "The Coming Naval Wars: America and Japan. Britain and Germany," is the title of an interesting pamphlet by M. A. M. Laubeuf , former 'Chief Constructor of the .French Navy. The author is persuaded that the question of supremacy in the Pacific will soon be settled by heavy guns. He foresees a truce until the Japanese Dreadnoughts now completing are ready for sea. It will be a purely naval war, and Japan could stand the financial strain. ". The battle of millions" between Britain and Germany must equally, in M. Laubeuf s opinion, end in a- naval j war. He observes that the Power which is the first to build battleships of 25,000 tons, of high speed and huge armament, will at once relegate to obsolescence even the existing Dreadnoughts. But Germany is not pursuing that line of action. 'Her newest ships are nothing more than imitations of British vessels. What, then, will be Germany's plan for wresting the mastery of the sea from Britain? M. Laiibeuf finds the answer to the question in the German credits for submersible vessels, of which Germany may have as many as sixty ready for action in 1915. Before war broke out German submersibles would sail for the British harbours and ships. Sufficient damage would be done to equalise the battle fleets of the two countries. A landing of German troops mierht follow, and then, in Lord Salisbury's phrase, "English history will be ended." So much for the German side. But what wilJ Britain do ? M. . Laubeuf thinks that war is .more likely to be bescun by Britain. Seventeen great ships, he points out. must be built in the nest four years if the British naval force is to be incontestably superior to Germany at the end of 1.931 as jit is at the present time. Will Britain continue to spend two millions to German v's one s or will she, with a sudden crushing blow, break the power of the German fleet before it reaches its full development ? " Those J»re thfe alternatives from which British statesmen must make their choice within the next few years." M. Laubeuf is convinced that Britain will suddenly attack the German fleet, will break it as she has broken the sea power of Spain, Holland and France, and, that done, will turn and crush the victor in the war between America and Japan. "Thus Britain's mastery of the seas would be asstired for another fifty years. But may not the maritime nations, tired of the British yoke, combine to cast, it off for ever 2" ■