FLEET AND ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 577, 4 August 1909, Page 7

FLEET AND ARMY.

INVASION TEST. SUPPOSE THE SHIPS WERE AWAY. COAST-CUDDLING. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Rec. August 3, 10.20 p.m.) ' London,! August 3. The "Spectator" sharply criticises the> decision of tile Defence Cbmmitteo' regarding the possibility of invasion, as announced in Mr. Asquith's recent specch. '• '. The Fleet, says the "Spectator," is not' the nurse of tho Army.. By encouraging this belief, Mr. Haldane (Secretary for Wtt) is onoouraging the domand that the Fleet should cuddle the British ooasts in order to soothe tho fears of old women of either, sex. The paper adds: ; "The F-ieet' : must go where the highest strategy demands. It' might bo compelled to leave Home watersj , thus causing a temporary local loss of sea power, tempting an enemy to.make a dash'on our shores." [The finding of'. the Committee was summed up by Mr. Asquith In' the following two propositions:—''Firstly, that as long ns otir naval supremacy; is adequately assured, an invasion on a large scale. Such-as is contemplated by .Lord Roberts—namely, the transport to these shores of 120,000 to ISO,OOO men—is absolutely impracticable; but, on the''other hand, if wo permanently, lost) the command -of the sea, whatever might be the strength-or organisation of your military forces'here at Homo, even though you had an army like Germany's, it would not only ;be impossible for Britain to escape invasion,-but subjection by the enemy would-also be inevitable. Our Second proposition is that, brsides. a Army sufficient to repel sftiall sporadic raids, we must have an army ; adequate ,to compel ahy sane opponent contemplating-an invasion to come, with so substantial a force aB to, make it .impossible for it to avoid our Fleet arid to. land. Nobody would' 'undertake the task with less than 70,000 men., I do not. believe that 70,000. men would. everBet ,through. ; Tliat ,was our conclusion after the most careful .investigation ever made."] .' ■!

I GERMAN CONSTRUCTION POLICY.

PROGRAMME ANTICIPATED. (Rec. August 3, 10.20 p.m.)' ' . ' i -.!•; : Berlin, August 3. The. "Cologne .Gazette" now, admits. that omi of the four Dreadnoughts figuring in the German naval programme, for ; tho ; financial yea! - ,1009 was laid down before the cud of tho financial year 1903. , > .. -. NECLECTED WARNING. CHARGE AGAINST THE: ADMIRALTY. ■ (llcc. August 3, 9.55 p.m.) London,: August 3. Mr.i Miullouer, latojpirecto'r' of the Coventry Ordnance Works, in a letter to "Tho Timqs".stiites that in May, 1906, lie informed tho Admiralty of. the whole schomo and object of tllo!' extensions; of Krupp's " Essen .works. Finding tMt his letter. Was'ignored, ho took steps to inform tho Government, which'thus was first awaro last autumn of Gormany'3 special activity., ; .The letter implies that the Admiralty withhelk the information given iu 1906.. ; .[ln 1906, the First lord, of the Admiralty was. Lord-Tweedmo'uth; : who was succeeded by. Mr. M'Kenna' last year.] -, ■.-