"TWO POWER" TEST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 495, 30 April 1909, Page 5

"TWO POWER" TEST.

;s • AN IMPORTANT; LIMITATION. . AMERICA EXCLUDED. ON PRIME MINISTER'S AUTHORITY. (ire TBLEQEAPH—PEESB ASSOCIATION—COFYRIOHT.V London, April 28. • Replying to a question in the Houso of Commons, Mr.' M'Kenna, First Lord of tho Admiralty, stated, on behalf of Mr. Asquith, that for all practical purposes tho.American Navy did not enter into the Government's calculations regarding, tho two-Power, standard, ■ ■',-'. [Apparently the any-two-Power standard i.-; to be abandoned. But, if so, how will the following be explained:—"The Government accept tho two-Power standard of naval strength as, meaning a preponderance of 10 per cent, over the combined strengths in capital ships of the two next strongest Powers."—Mr.' Asquith, in answer to .Mr; : Lee, November 12, 1908.] EMPIRE NAVAL CONFERENCE. : CABINET CONSIDERATION. '.'. London! April 28. • The Cabinet is considering a proposal to hold an Imperial Naval Conference in 1910, in accordance with the suggestion made recently by Mr. Asquith in a. 6peech at, Glasgow (that is, a conference between the colonies and the Mother Country 'regarding their future respective shares in ,the great independent work of naval defence.). DISPOSITION OF HOME FLEETS. The Cabinet Committee, which has been set up by the Prime Minister to'inquire into the disposition and organisation;of the Home fleets, is tho outcome of the memorandum of Admiral Lord Chas. Beresford, who • has further declared that, "if the'country, knew the real truth, there would ,13e a panic." When tho Channel Fleet was reduced under tho re-dis-tribution of three or, four years ago. Lord Beresford protested strongly. Now, there has been a fresh redistribution, concerning which Mr. H. W.: Wilson writes under date March 16:—"A fresh':redistribution is to.be carried, out under. whioh . the. fully-manned British naval force in home waters will be reduced by six armoured ships. Tho ■ old disposition of fleets and' the number of armoured vessels fully manned may thus be compared with, the new:— . ' : :, Old Disposition. '•■.'■•".. •','- '■'"'..■■•' .•-: '■' •■ b.s. ; , ; a.c. ■■■', Channel Fleet ... ... .:. U ; ! 6 . Horns Fleet : ... ... ... ,6 G. Atlantic.. Fleet ... ■■■■■' ...";■: V., ;• '6 4; . . '■'■ '■'';'■ '''.'..," .;:':":'26 VIG, '; ' New Disposition.. ■. - ■. ' b.s. a.c. . Main Fleet ■;•/:.;.■..; - .„ 16 '10,- ;' Atlnntio Fleet ....... ... JS /i -"' .■'■ '■ '.'' : : .' • 22'-' .14 ■". b.s., battleshipj a.c, armoured cruiser., "Tho new'disposition gives four fewer battleships and two fewer armoured cruisers training for war with full crows. It is thus a reduction of nearly' one-'SfJth;in.the strength of armoured ships-in full commission. The new main British Fleet will have only the eamo numerical strength in battleships; as ,t;he Ger-man-High-Sea-Fleet, which is not aisatisfactory position for the premier British squadron. . There is this further technical objection ti the new organisation, that, as battleships (ire builtto .work together ' in.';' fours v and armoured cruisers in threes,: the composition,of the fleet will hove to bo 'changed on the outbreak of war." '''','•''' '- v; -av'--'--■■ •■ .' '■■: .."'iv-.', .