The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 1887. ENGLAND'S PREPAREDNESS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1495, 1 March 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 1887. ENGLAND'S PREPAREDNESS.

Accustomed as we have been of late to be periodically told of the obsolete character and the inefficiency of the ships of the British navy and the insufficiency of their armamenf, and also that the British army, m addition to its smallness m numbers, when com pared with those of Continental Powers, is far behind them m the matter ol weapons of modern warfare, it is satisfactory to learn that the authorities at Home are losing no steps to increase the efficiency of both branches of the service. In times such as these, when it is quite possible that Europe may be at any time plunged into a great war, it is well that the "tight little island" should be prepared for all eventualities, and not handicapped by reason of its defenders being incompletely armed. Some time ago Lord Charles Beresford and Sir A. Allison, m the course of speeches made by them, took occasion to refer to the condition of the army and navy respectively. The former said that the " scare " as to the fitness of the navy had originated m there not being a business-like system of organisation, m the existence of a state of unpreparedness, and m there being no definite arrangements as to what should be done m case of the services of the navy being required — "m our waiting to find out what we were going to do." The present Board of Admiralty, one and all, had determined to alter that system. It was their business to change the mode of administration, and they would have a system which would, as it were, put them at the end of an electric button ; so that if war should be declared between Russia and France, or any other country, every man would go straight to his billet, and stores, ammunition, and everything would at once be m their proper position within twenty-four hours, instead of being nowhere at all, as had been the case up to the present moment. England's mercantile marine presented a target to be shot at sixty times larger than that of any other nation, and to defend that great floating wealth properly a large number of cruisers were needed. He was not at liberty, nor would it be proper to say, what were the intentions of the Board of Admiralty: but, as far as he was individually concerned, ho held to every word he had said m the House of Commons on the 15th of March lastnamely, that to put England m a state m which there would be the minimum of loss m the event of war being declared she should have twenty more cruisers. General Alison's remarks regarding the army are brief but reassuring. He said that while the whole of Europe was. resounding with nothing but the clang of arms ; every nation armed to the teeth ; and a state of matters existing which was likely to terminate m war, and speedy, war, it was necessary that England's army should be m a thorough state of readiness, and he told hisaudience thathehad the best of grounds for believing that the authorities were going to put the army m such a state m regard to readiness for mobilisation as Lord Charles Beresford had said it was intended to pot tbenawy.