BRITAIN & GERMANY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 10 February 1913, Page 5

BRITAIN & GERMANY

CABLENEWS (United Press A'S'ciation —-By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

A RACE FOR ARMA.MENTS. WHAT THE MAIL-TIMES SAYS. (Received Last Night. 5.5 o'clock.) LONDON, February 8. The Daily Mail, quoting Mr Win- , ston Churchill's January speech, in ■ further qualification of his rpe-ecli made in duly, 1912, in reference to Canadian ships and the eventuality ( of a Mediterranean Power undertaking , a considerable programme, says:— "Hence, the GO per cent superiority asked for in his speech applied to the past, and not to the present or future. Consequently, Britain's programme will be subject to alteration, if the | Mediterranean Powers increased their ; fleets as they are now doing." The | paper adds: "If Admiral von Tirpitz accepts a ratio with these qnalifra- . tions. the first step towards better 'relations will have been taken; but. on the present programmes, the British, margin of Dreadnoughts in 1910 will be only 50 per cent., if the Dominion ships are not counted. I The Telegraph's Berlin correspondent says that the statements made in the Reichstag are calculated to strengthen the erroneous German impression that Mr Winston Churchill has offered the sixteen to ten ratio for all ships for all time. Admiral Tirpitz would doubtless like to tie Britain to such a ratio; but when the British Dreadnoughts become obsolete and, the ratio is altered, therewill be an outcry, demanding a further Navy Bill. Apart from Admiral Tirpitz's willingness to accept the ratio, it will be some time before Germany will be ripe for another naval project. The people's shoulders are sore from the last burdens and the high price of the necessaries of life. Moreover, it is difficult to squeeze out five million sterling annually under a new Armv Bill. Thn Times' Berlin correspondent declares that Admiral von Tirpitz vni merelv declaring that Germany (lir 1 not intend to make a fresh i nnrt. No agreement had been made, and no negotiations begun.