A STARVED NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1350, 30 January 1912, Page 5

A STARVED NAVY.

SERIOUS CHARGES. LORD CHARLES BERESFORD AGAIN. UNPROTECTED TRADE ROUTESBy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Bee. January 29, 11 p.m.) London, January 29. Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, M.P,, has issued,his pamphlet "The Betrayal," the publication of which was suspended last autumn. Lord Charles states that the whole Admiralty policy from 1902 to 19)1 was a series of disastrous mistakes. The personnel of the Navy had been starved, tho efficiency of tho training impaired, and the coaling and repairing stations in the overseas Dominions dismantled. The present condition of the trade routes was a national danger. In 1903 there were sixty small cruisers on foreign stations, and now there were only twentythree, despite the fact that privateering, which had been abolished under tho Declaration of Paris, had been insidiously revived, by the Peace Conference of 1907. Seaborne trade was now open to eudden and 6ecretly-organised attacks conducted by merchant vessels which a few hours previously had been sheltering in neutral harbours as non-combatants, and a few hours later may repair in the same harbours and take in supplies before embarking in fresh adventures. It was often forgotten that heavy armoured ships depended for their utility upon the existence of complementary units.. Lord Charles adds that a war staff is essential to the proper organisation of the fleet. *