EMPIRE'S SEA POWER

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 472, 2 April 1909, Page 5

EMPIRE'S SEA POWER

COLONIAL ATTITUDE. AMERICAN IMAGINATION IMPRESSED. PORTENTS OF A CHANGE. (ht TErjEciiirn—riiEsa association—connionT.) London, March 31. Tiio "Daily Mail" reports that American imagination has been powerfully moved over tho colonies' willingness to hear a share of the Empire's burdens. Tho "Now York Globe" asks: "Are wo on the threshold of a chango of relations between tho Motherland and tho colonics. s " NEW CONSTRUCTION. GERMAN? LEADING ON THE 1909-10 FIGURES. tJNITED STATES A GOOD THIRD. (by tixeg k.u']i--press association —corrniGHT.) London, March 31. In the Houso of Commons tho First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. M'Kenna, replying to a question put to him by Lieutenant C. W. Bellairs, member for King's Lynn, said that, calculating on tho samo basis in Britain as elsewhere, tho estimates for now construction and armaments for 1909-10 totalled £10,256,194, compared with £10,751,466 in Germany, and £10,015,101 in tho Unit-ed States.

BRITAIN'S BUILDING CAPACITY. ELSWICK WORKS. (Roc. April 1, 10.40 p.m.) London, April 1. Sir Andrew Noble, chairman of tho Armstrong Company, spenking at Newcastle, said that at the company's works at Elswick there were three berths for Dreadnoughts. The firm could construct three Dreadnoughts in thirty months, and sets of threo in every fifteen months subsequently. With another berth they could build four Dreadnoughts annually and their completo armament. NEW CONSTRUCTION VOTES FOR LAST FIVE YEARS. The outlay on new construction and armament is tho item which determines the futuro materia! force of a fleet. Tho following table shows comparatively this outlay, in Britain and m Germany, during the last fivo years:— New construction and armament. Britain. Germany. Tear. £ £ .1905 12,500,000 4,800,000 1908 12,400,000 5,300,000 1907 ..'. ... 10,500,000 6,700,000 1908 9.G00.000 8,500,000 1909 10,250,191 10,751,166 And in 1910 it is estimated that Germany will spend on now construction and armament £12,600,000! It will be seen that between 1905 and 1909 Germany much more than doubled her outlay on new construction. Whilo the British outlay was descending, that of Germany was steadily mounting. EICHT DREADNOUGHTS DEMANDED. SPEECH BY MR. BALFOUR. DANGER OF EXCESSIVE PROGRAMME NEXT YEAR. (Rec. April 1, 10.40 p.m.) London, April 1. A meeting—ono of tho greatest of tho generation—held at tho Guildhall passed a resolution demanding that tho Government should begin immediately four more Dreadnoughts—the conditional squadron referred to in the Estimates—in addition to tho four which aro already in tho Estimates to be laid down in 1909-10. Tho Lord Mayor of London (Sir Geo. Vvyatt Truscott) presided. Government. Defended. Lord Brassey (Liberal), in moving tho resolution, said tho safety of tho Empire was tho first duty of tho nation. He met with loud dissent when ho declared that it was no cause for attacking tho Government because they had for a timo Teduced tho naval expenditure In so doing, they had obeyed an election mandate. Ho condemned scares, which, ho considered, lowered tho national dignity. Too much money had boon devotod to unarmoured' classes of warships. Ho advised that immediate action bo taken for the revision of tho present vote, without adding to tho cost, so as to provide for two moro Dreadnoughts. Possibly Twelve Dreadnoughts Next Year. Mr. Balfour (Leader of the Opposition) said that the entire Empire was deeply disquieted after hearing the warning of tho I Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward

Groy) that Britain must reconstruct her Navy. They must look ahead to .1915. Ho urged an immediate increase in the naval construction plant, and the commencement of building without delay. Apart from tho twoPower standard—(under which Mr. Asquith is pledged to maintain a preponderance of 10 per cent over tho combined strengths in capital ships of the next two strongest Powers)— Mr. Balfour declared that Ger-, many and tho United States were each spending more in naval construction than Britain was. If tho Government adhered to its present intention of laying down only four Dreadnoughts in 1909-10, and deferring tho conditional four till tho beginning of 1910-11, then, should eight more Dreadnoughts bo required in 1010-11, thoro would bo- tho preposterous arrangement of twelve Dreadnoughts in ono year. Gratitude to Colonies, A reference by Mr. Balfour to two Dreadnoughts from Australasia provoked many rounds of cheering. Other speakers included Lord Rothschild and Mr. Herbert Gibbs. ! A vote was also passed expressing the citizens' gratitude for the colonial Dreadnoughts. Lord Brassoy, at a meeting of the British Empire League, moved a resolution welcoming colonial co-oporation in; naval defence. The resolution was seconded by General Hutton (formerly Commandant of the Australian Forces), and was carried unanimously.

"JINCOISM" AND "DINCOiSM." Sill WM. LYME ENDORSES LABOUR ATTITUDE. A SPIRITED REPLY. (Roc. April 1, 11.53 pi.) Sydney, April 1. Sir Win. Lync, who was Federal Treasurer in the Deskin Government, speaking at Gumlagai, said there had been an outburst of enthusiasm —lie would call it hysteria—regarding the presentation of a Dreadnought to Britain. He thought the Empire could ho best served by making sensiblo provision in Australia against un enemy. He agreed with Mr. Fisher's policy to build torpedo boats, and thought that the Government might go farther by building submarines. Ho .deprecated hysteria at

such a time, when Britain was not threatened. Australia would never hcsitato to do hor duty to tho Old Country in a timo of trouble Mr. Donaldson, a merubero of tho iStato Parliament, did not agreo with Sir Win. Lyne. Ho believed Hint the timo had arrived when Australia should give a Dreadnought. If devotion and loyalty to the Empire could be dubbed "Jingoism," he was proud to bo a Jingo. Any counter movement could only be classified as "Diugoism," emblematic of the dog that bit tho hand that fed it. Tho Lord Mayor (Mr. Allan Taylor), in issuing a further appeal in aid of the Dreadnought fund, said: "Lot mo again express congratulations to tho people of New Zealand on tho magnificent offer which has commanded tho attention and admiration of the whole world." LOCAL NAVY OR CIFT SHIPS? FISHER'S "TINPOT MOSQUITO FLEET." Sydney, April 1. Mr. Wade, State Premier, has characterised tho naval schemo propounded by. Mr. Fisher, Federal Premier, as 0110 providing for a tinpot mosquito (loot.- The position, ho said, was most dangerous, because tho naval agreement oxpires in thveo years' time.

A LABOUR PROTEST. VIEWS OF THE WELLINGTON TRADES COUNCIL. Now Zealand's offer of a Dreadnought was discussed at last night's meeting of tho Wellington Trades Council. " I wish to ask if the council intends to take any action in regard to the autocratic manner in wliich the Premier has saddled the people of this country with a burden in regard to the Navy?" said Mr. Dowdall. The Chairman said that nothing had boon dono so far, but tho council could consider tho matten Later in the meeting, Mr. Dowdall moved a resolution, expressing regret that tho Premier had •■'••if.:cd the credit of the Dominion for the ; 'ation of a Dreadnought, and exprcssii! -reflation of the action of Mr. T. E. Tayior.'Al.P. Mr. Parlane moved, and Mr. Levy seconded, an amendment to strike out tho reference to Mr. Taylor. Tho mover held that Mr. Taylor had no authority to speak for tho country. Mr. Conchio opposed the amendment. Mr. Taylor had only dono his duty as a member of Parliament. Mr. Conchie proceeded to argue that the _ money to bo spent on tho Dreadnought might have been used to set all tho unemployed to work. The offer was made for financial motives, and for tho glorification of one man. It would not benefit tlis workers, who had nothing to protect. It would only benefit the Fat Man. Tho money should bo spent in opening up the country, and settling peoplo on it. The amendment was carried by 15 to 14. Mr. W. T. Young moved a further amendment in favour of New Zealand uniting with tho Commonwealth to form an Australasian Navy, and protesting against the Dreadnought offer, and tho unconstitutional way in whiohit was made. An Australasian Navy, ho said, would be always ready to protect our shores. If England wanted more Dreadnoughts, she had plenty of money to pay for thorn. New Zealand was tho most heavily indebted and highly taxed of all tho Australasian States, except West Australia. All our prosperity was based on borrowed money, and, now that money was tight, many workers were thrown out of employment. The motive of the Dreadnought offer was that tho Prime Minister and the other members of tho Cabinet might be raised in the estimation of. tho British Cabinet, and tho capitalists of Great Britain. "As a New Zealander," said Mr. Young, " I enter an emphatic protest against this offer." Mr._ Purchase seconded tho amendment. Tho New Zealand working man, he said, had no quarrel with the Germans, and tho working peoplo all over tho world should bo friends. Mr. Parlano suggested that tho views of local naval experts were, not required, and that tho motion as it stood would meet tho case. Mr. D. M'Laren, M.r., said ho had not altered his opinion, as already stated in the press, and that oninion was sluvrcd by many to whom ho had spoken. The Premier had said that his offer was meant to benefit tho worker. Ho (Mr. M'Laren) believed that it was diametrically opposed to their interests. No more undemocratic action had over been taken in this country than that of tho Government in taking this action without consulting Parliament. It had transpired that editors of newspapers had been consulted or informed. Resnonsibfe as their positions were, he submitted" that tho chown representative of the peonlo had a greater right to bo consulted. He would speak plainly when his fuller opoortnnitv came, and would denounce what he considered to bo a grave menaco to the rights of the people. Mr. Young's amendment was defeated, and Mr. Dowdall's original motion, minus tho reference to Mr. Taylor, was carried on tho voices.

OUNEQIN TRAOESCQUNCIL'SOPINION. LOCAL DEFENCE BEFORE DREADNOUGHTS, tor TKMoiuvu—nir.su association.) ti tit • v, i . Duned 'n. April 1. ino following resolutions were passed by the Trades and Labour Council to-night:— (.1) "That this council, regarding war as not only brutal, but an enormous economic waste of human life, labour, and material, is of opinion that the. time- has arrived when more attention should be devoted to studying the question of preventing such waste by the adoption of some humane method of settling national difficulties; (2) whilst hold-l-ing these opinions, the council recognises that, under present conditions, it is absolutely necessary that the British nation must be prepared, by being adequately armed, for any emergency, and that this 'Dominion is in equity bound to contribute its share towards the cost of this armament; (3) but seeing that no immediate necessity exists for the precipitate haste that has been shown, this council protests against Sir Joseph Ward's Administration in committing the people to an expenditure involving over three millions, without consulting Parliament, and having the question thoroughly considered and discussed, as such autocratic action is inimical to the democratic principles of government under which we live; (4) that, further, this council is of opinion that tlio question of tho adequate protection of tho Dominion has not received the attention from the Government that it deserves, and Parliament should be asked at an early date to discuss tho matter, with a viow to providing ample land and naval defence."