SPEECH BY LORD "CHARLES BERESFORD.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12256, 2 July 1909, Page 5

SPEECH BY LORD "CHARLES BERESFORD.

(United Press Association.—Copyright.;

Receiver! July 1, 7.30 p.m

LONDON, July 1

Under the auspices of the London Chamber of Commerce, and in the presence of Admirals Salmon, Hamilton, Noal, Bridge, Bruce, Domvile, and

"Hopkins, the v Dukes of Somerset and Rutland, many Peers and Commoners, ■and several duchesses and marchionesses, Lord Charles Beresford addressed a great city meeting at the Merchant Tailors' Hall. He said that as Mr As■quitlvs committee was still considering ihe present efficiency of the navy lie had been told that he must be reticent, but he did not intend to be reticent about the future efficiency of the navy. -"The public had a grave warning from Mr Asquith's lips and a more serious one from Sir E. Grey's, and nothing had been done to allay ,anxiety. We must, show the world that we live by our -supremacy of the sea and the punctual delivery of water-borne trade. The adoption of a definite programme would put an end to the wild and insane competition abroad. The position was more serious than was generally known, but there was no reason for panic. The mistakes in the past were: First, largo arrears in shipbuilding; secondly, false •■economics; thirdly, the absence of a proper stragetical department at the Admiralty to prepare war plans and see ■what vessels were necessary for the exevution of the plans." While we had been talking Germany had been, building. •She was entitled to do what she considered necessary for her needs.'Friends •of his whose knowledge of strategy and warship building was supreme had helped him to fcrnmlato the following programme to put the country in a state <c/i safety by "Ist March/ 19141