SEA POWER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 702, 30 December 1909, Page 5

SEA POWER.

- .'.:'■'' ■■:'-- ■■' I;--.- - -■ --'; THE GERMAN;NAVY'LAW NOT TO ; ; BE CURTAILED. A LIMITATION-MAY BE REACHED ..'AFTER 1917; .:...//. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright. ,-'.-"'■".;■ Londin, December 29. , The protest,of Dr. Ro&bach, a German critic, against an' alleged •; Anglo-German agreement involving the curtailment of the shipbuilding ' programme established by tho German .Navy ; Law,, and the prompt denial by the German Government.that any such curtailment is intended, are commented 'on by tho Liberal newspaper "Daily 'News,"' which 'remarks:'. ''./' : : ; "The" curtailmont of that programme which expires in 1917, would be difiicult for Germany, to propose, after so much heated national debate. .. . It is well to face the facts and aekn6wledge that the most hopeful prospect at preseht is not in the curtailing of the programme,-but in reaching some understanding regarding naval expenditure, when the programme is fulfilled;.- ;..; . . /■ "Meanwhilei the, greatest obstacle will bo found, not in tho Governments, but in the scaremongers- of; both countries." " ; PROGRAMME^ FROM 1909 TO 1917. : '\ The German Navy Ltv 'in'its .finally amended form is said to involve the following construction between 1909 and its conclusion; in 1917:'.;.:'• ...•'-. ,

There .-will./also bo a number of subNnwTnw ; w\" feature , of tte German A 1 . annua l' contraction of four big ships (three battleships and one E"B>VMJW; /the :annual conetructiou of two bjg ships (one battleship and one cruiser) thereafter.-- Btit the Pr a ir,^ S V n de^ ro . vc « is also serious. Prince Bismarclc, ; es-Chancellor, in . a speech last March, stated that the Navy ™mIJ t P lthcr modified nor ex--whs an M t m7 C ? asa , tho qucstion:arises

. ■ 0* ■ tfl •' r3 -•"'£« i ' na> ' ■ "R •• ah* - u - ■ >>"' i y S'g; ■ : 1'g ■"■■ ■ | 1903 3 ■ f° . f 2 .. 1910-.. >M 3 1 2 12 1911 ... 3 1 2 \o 1912 ..l i i \i 1913 1 , 1 2 12 19H « 1 1 2 ' 1* 1915 1 1 2 P 1916 .. ' 1 ' ' 1 • O in 1917 ... i j g & •15 1 9 • IS . - 108