Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

THE "NAVAL HOLIDAY."

MR. CHURCHILL'S NEW PROPOSAL. AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW. (feom our owx coiißEsroxnEXT.) LONDON. October 24. Tho recaption which has been given to Mr Churchill's new advance to Gcrj many on the subject of reduced naval expenditure is not a very warm ono so far as the British Press or tho German correspondents are concerned. But of course Germany has not yet said anythiug officially. Mr Churchill eaid:— "Though I have- told you about the possibility of reducing tho expense of naval arms by reducing tho quality of our vessels of every class, our next question is tho possibility of reducing the numbers. There is only ono way in which they can bo reduced, and that is by introducing the Navy Estimates of this year of what has been called a 'naval holiday.' Since then tho German Chancellor has stated in tho Reichstag that his Government await detailed proposals. Wo have no inten- j tion of moving in the matter unless tho { German Government consider it opportune. It is very important that no | steps should be takon by us in such a matter which would not'bo strictly fair to Germany, or which would look'as if wo were trying to get credit for ourselves for making pacific proposals and trying to put them in the wrong for not accepting them. You will follow, tho irrportanco of that point. Tho situation in Europe is now much clearer than it has been for some time. "Our relations with Germany have greatly improved without tho loss of our friendships with other countries. The moment, therefore, is not unfavourable for taking up the friendly reference to tho question of a naval holiday which is to be found in the Gorman Chancellor's speech. It would not bo an unfavourable moment even if Great Britain and Germany were alono concerned. But the question is urgent, not only from the point of view of this country, but even_ more so from that of pther great nations. We seem to havo reached a point where- the relations of the Great Powers to each other, however intimato, however amicable they may become, produce no effect on warlike preparations. "The proposal which I put forward in the name of his Majesty's Government for a 'naval holiday' is quite simple. You could put it almost on the side of Mr Balfour's traditional half-sheet of note-paper. Next year, apart from tho Canadian ships or their equivalent, apart from anything that may bo required by new- developments *in tho Mediterranean, wo are to lay down four great ships to Germany's two. Now wo Kay, while there is plenty of time, in all friendship, and sincerity to our great neighbour, Germany: 'If you will put off beginning your two ships for 12 months from the ordinary date when you would havo begun them, wo will put off beginning our four ships, in absolute good faith* for exactly the sama period. . That would mean that there would bo a complete holiday for ono year so far as big ships are concerned between Great Britain and Germany. There would bo a saving, spread over three years; of nearly six millions to Germany and of nearly twelve millions to this country, and the relative strength of the two countries would be absolutely unchanged. - . A *WORLT>-WI3>E PROSPECT. "But wo, recognise that it would not bo possible for either Germany or ourselves, even if we were agreed between ourselves, to stand still for a whole year unless other Powers could be persuaded to do likewise, so that, if such an agreement were reached between us, it could only be an agreement contingent upon the result of our negotiations with other Great Powers. Suppose, then, that Great Britain and Germany take tho lead in approaching other great European Powers, do you not think there would bo very good prospects of success? Would not the influence of Great Britain and Gormany, exerted in such a cause, be most powerful, perhaps all-powerful? Can we not go to our respective friends in Europe and use our influence with them? If Austria did not build for a year, would not that relieve Italy? If neither Austria nor Italy builds, the obligation would be removed from Franco and Great Britain. Tho fact that tho Triple Alliance was building no ships would make it possible, without tho slightest danger or risk, for tho other three great European Powers to do tho same. Does it not seem likely that, if such a great event, such a glorious and memorable event, ever came to pass, it would produco an effect upon the naval construction of the United States, and that that again would produce its re-percussion ijpon the naval policy of Japan? And so .at the end of a year, you might have all theso great countries just'as safe and just as strong as they trill'be if they build all the ships ther have in mind at tho present time, and a vast treasure of many millions, or scores of millions, would have b«<»n arres+ed for tho procress and enlightenment of mankind. Even if •Wβ were to try and to fail— even if, which I frankly think is imTf\<3sible. ine combinpd influence of Groat Britain and Germany failed to secure partiVirjatfon in tho *navaj nolidav' hy other countries, afVI ouentlv prevented it from talcing plsei» at all—even in jfcJwt rUsanTvMntinc pvonf thfi mer<» fact that Orent Britain find had boen not'ng tncfitnor i-n rivH a rr>n«o and ihn-r influence for +hat nn'Tiose for a period of "'jmy mnnfr* wrnVM rnnVe nri irrmrr>«:vwiVM bo w!*r»llv beneficial .infl wnicn |v, "''l v"*- fr>fl +n "i-Miiee its fruits in voa-'-s. f-Chpftrs ) POSSIBLE OTCrrcrnySS AND CRITICISMS. 'That is the proposal which I make for the year 1914, or, if it is thought 1914 is too near, then for 1915. lam quite impervious to the objections wiiich will no doubt be raised by the great armament firms in this and other countries. They must bo the servants and not the masters. The cessation, of tho building of great ships for a year would not in itself produce a violent dislocation of the shipbuilding industry. The vessels which Have already been bp.gvnx in every country will afford plenty of work to carry the yards over such a period of truce. At any rate 'there is the position of the, British Government, a position which has grown np from no fpoling of inability to T>f>nr the st-rain. Why. tvo hnvo rot resorted to tflo Continental device of borrowing. On the contrary, tre are paying off past loans at an unprecedented rate. No doubt ther« are many in both countries wno will porcr ridicule on,the proposal which I make, who will try to involve it in clouds of pnspirinn and suasest that j there is some trick lurking behind whrt looks lik© a fair offer, and who will blame mo in mistinted terms for having referred to such subjects at all. Let ! them mock. (Cheers.) ! OUR SEA POWER TO BE UNAS- | SAILABLE. "I am convinced that it is necessary for the welfare, and eveja for the endurance, of oar civilisation, and of tho existing structure of society in Europe, that this question of armaments should be openly and boldly discussed, not only by diplomatists and Governments, bn't by Parliaments and peoples. They must not be disheartened by want of success. The time will come, and will come

without long delay, when the presont extraordinary competition in armaments will be a thing of the past, and when the great naval Powers of the world will look bads on it with wonder and with regret. How this melancholy and unedifying period will end, or when it will end, we cannot tell, but that it will end is sure, and wo have to do all tli at we can to accelerate that ending. But we have also to make sure that, however and whenever the ' time of strain and anxiety ends, we, in this country shall emerge from it with the naval power on which the existence of the British Empire depends, as strong ,nd as-unassailable as it has ever been." (Cheers.) "A MURMUR FROM A FLUTE." Criticising the First Lord's proposal, at tho Navy League dinner, Lord Selborne said ho did not think that, the repeated alteration of a blast from the siren with a murmur from the flute could ever produce anything but international discord. And surely the proper channel.for any such communication was the Foreign Office, which had proved to all his Majesty's subjects its competence so to conduct nogotiar tions as to imnrove not only our relations with all our foreign neighbours and friends, but also so as to improve the general good understanding between the Great Powers of the world. There was, however, a reflection in connexion with the First Lord's pronouncement which could not bo too often made to our foreign friends, namely, that we could not approach the consideration of the question of tho limitation of naval armaments on an equal basis, for to none of our foreign friends was naval power the same vital consideration that it was and always must be to the' British Fjmpire. ADMIBAL YON TURPITZ. Grand Admiral yon Tirpita, the founder and head, of tho German Navyi discussod tho proposal with the Berlin, correspondent of "Tho Chronicle," stating in effect that Germany will carry out her naval policy despite any representation. "The Admiral assured mo, as, indeed, I well knew, that there never has been any acceleration in -the execution of the Germdn programme. If any ship has been laid down a little in advance, this has been merely to. maintain regularity of work at the shipbuilding yards. The Admiral is wishful to remove cause of suspicion and distrust, and desires that tho Britiah public shall know that the programme of shipbuilding has been carried out with punctual regularity nnd will continue to bo so. Ho declares that there has been no real addition to the programme, bocauso some ships which have been included more recently had previously ;boen. refused by the Reichstag on the. -understanding that thoy would be asked for later oil, while others were added owing to a necessary change in the period for the obsolescence of vessels. "Admiral yon Tirpite laid stress on tho-fact (as ho has several times done in the Reichstag) that tho German. Navy has a purely defensive function, and no aggressive purpose. Kike tho army, it is to maintain the security of the Empire and its trade, besides enabling Germany to raise her voice tn tha affairs of tho world. He is unable to sec why this should bo denied her. Hβ regards a war of aggrr-ssion ac unthinkable to Germany. Tho navy will no doubt be developed in accordance with the dictates of policy and the strength of other navies, and it a heavy task before it owing to developments in. the Baltic and elsewhere. "The Naval Secretary of State said to mc that ho was lost in bonder at the Gorman Navy beiug regarded as a danger or a. menace. Great navies are rising everywhere. Franco, Russia, the United States, even Greece and the South American States, not to speak of Austria-Hungary and Italy, are all ! building great lleets. France and Ruseia are allied, ho says, and are together spending far more than Germany on xuxral construction. Is not Germany, then, a Great Power of Europe, to have a. Sect for her protection? "Hβ does not wish to influence British naval policy m eny way, but ho insists that security is essential for tie country. She cannot tolerate the idea of being again made, a battleSound. Ho expressed himself in a ost friendly way towa«ts the British fleet, for which he has a nigh admiration. His recollections of it are very pleasant, his relations with some of the officers are most cordial, awl the German Navy owes much to its inspiration end example. Admiral Tirprtz is glad to say he.can see no ground for any disparity of views between the two! countries. ,5 '

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19131208.2.144

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14843, 8 December 1913, Page 9

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,006

THE "NAVAL HOLIDAY." Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14843, 8 December 1913, Page 9

THE "NAVAL HOLIDAY." Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14843, 8 December 1913, Page 9

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert