BRITAIN'S NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1393, 20 March 1912, Page 5

BRITAIN'S NAVY.

MR. CHURCHILL'S PLANSOLIVE BRANCH HELD OUT TO GERMANY. WASTE ON ARMAMENTSBy TolecrHDh—ProM AsiocUtian—CoDTrlEbl (Rec. March 19, 11 p.m.) London, March 19. Mr. Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, in introducing the Naval Estimates in the ilouso of Commons, announced that he was recasting the organisation of the Home Defence fleet which would be divided into three ilects comprising eight battle squadrons of eight ships each with their attendant auxiliaries. Great Britain would thus bo ablo to assemble 05 battleships, as compared with 38 by tho next strongest Power. Tho torpedo-boat flotillas would bo com- . mantled by a special admiral and would protect tho coasts against minor raids while tho battle fleet was defeating the enemy. Mr. Churchill announced his intention of promoting a hundred of tho younger warrant officers to a rank equivalent to that of sub-lieutenants. Fie would award ! commissions to senior midshipmen. A New Reserve. It was proposed to create a new force to be called the immediato Tescrve. This would oompriso retired men who had served from five to ten years, and would be limited to a membership of 5000. From this force they would be enabled to man at short notico the seventh battle squadi ron and cruiser squadron. Tho Admiralty also intended to revert to tho practice of giving continuous commissions to ships manned by nucleus crews J on Homo stations. Mr. Churchill concluded by dilating on tho strange spectacle of the world, devoting its wealth, manhood, and science to producing gigantic military machinery which became obsolescent as soon as it was created, and which drained the coffers and stinted the needs of the people. Tho most hopeful interpretation of tho phenomenon was that these rivalries would become substitutes for the actual war of earlier ages. Present Navy Standard, Mr. Churchill said he was not prepared to recommend a. two-to-one standard against Germany. The tiino might como when that would be necessary, but it was not now. The changes in the European situation rendered the Two-Power standard inapplicable and inadequate. The Admiralty's present standard as against Germany was to maintain a sixty per cent superiority in battleships and Dreadnought cruisers. That would suflice for five years if Germany did not alter her plans. As the pre-Dreadnought ships declined in fighting value the ratio would rise above sixty per cent. It appeared that it would bo necessary to construct four ships and threo Dreadnoughts alternately during the next sexenninm. That was tho least number required to maintain tho standard, and the Estimates had been framed accordingly.

If Germany Builds More Ships') If Germany increased her construction, Great Britain would meot it upon a higher ratio of superiority by four additional ship 3 spread over the soxennium. He wished to make clear that any retardation or reduction of .Gorman construction would meet with England's prompt response, contingent on the absence of dangers elsewhere. Supposing both countries took a year's holidny, then threo ships would not b« built by Germany who would savo nearly ,-£'7,000,1r00 and automatically wipo out fivo potential British super-Dreadnoughts. Britain on the Defensive. Germany would be no gainer by an increase nor a loser on tho basis ho laid down. This basis afforded a plan by which without diplomatic negotiations, or bargainings, or tho restriction of freedom, a keen and costly rivalry could be abated. Great Britain stood on the defensive and a surprise attack by her on Germany, or anyono else, was inconceivable. Apart from the moral aspect of the matter, England had no means of following up such an attack even if it wero successful. A naval defeat would moan more to Britain than to Germany or France, because the British people were fed from the sea. From this fact aroso the necessity for Britain's naval supremacy, which was not a matter of trado or commerce, but of Britain's very freedom. "Wo must so conduct our affairs," added Mr. Churchill, "that no single navy would have a reasonable prospect of success against us." Oil Fuel Problems. Oil fuel was a perplexing problem. While it was incontestable* superior to coal, they bad lo solvo the question whether they would bo able in time of peace to obtain supplies at a reasonable price, and without restrictions in war time, also whether it would bo possible to store a sufficient reserve and to safeguard it from aeroplanes or sabotage. EXTRA TAXATION NOT NEEDED, FUTURE BURDENS. (Rec. March 19, 9.10 p.m.) London, March 19. Mr. Churchill, in continuing his spccch on the Naval Estimates, said the fertilo Budget of 1909 had made possible au increasa of armaments without additional taxation or a lean. Tho time would come when Britain and Germany would understand without ill-temper the conditions under which naval competition would have to be carried out in the next few years. Germany at present did not fcol the weight of maintaining year after year a gigantic navy whose cost matured relentlessly. THE WORLD'S DREADNOUGHTS. Germany, states the London "Daily Telegraph," of February 8, has determined to build eighteen Dreadnoughts, besides other vessels, in the next six years. Frauco is about lo lay down threo more largo armoured ships this year; and plans arc beiii" coiupir-lcd in Italy for a further couple of Dreadnoughts', in accordance with the programme announced last year; whilo Russia has designed four more vessels, which may or may not he laid down in the near future. Everything points to a rccrudi'sccnco of naval activity. In tho light of this renewed rivalry in nav.il armaments, it may bo of interest to set out the present stage of development' of all the Dreadnoughts now in hand: Z ? . i on ~ £ Q Oh! C i ~ Britain 10 S ti 4 31 Dominions 0 3 0 0 2 Germany 9 h 7 :i 2-t United States t! 2 4 2 U Italy II I 2 111 Au si riii I! 2 1 1 I Tnrkev null 2 I'fJiKe « 2 2 3 7 Russia ii -I :i I II Spain (I I 2 fl ISra/.il 2 o I n :i Argentina « 2 " 11 2 Japan 2 2 "i 0 !l Total n.; 32 n:; so iaj No feiver that 121 skips of tie Dread.

nought tvpo nro built, building, or proposed. Jf tho four rumoured Ktiwian ships nro and th'.* hi; iidmi'ili'd lhat' the .\inerii.iUi niay n*!*usi» to auihoriM l tho two lor which tho Navy Uopartinuut has ;»skod. there will rcnvnin 115 of ilicsn ships, ri'pyos.f.ntiiiK an initial co>t. with slnrrs and wjuipmcnl, of .I'jttO.flfiO.OOO. fof it was ns montly as Oetohor 110, 11)05, that tho naiuo ship, tin* original was laid down ;it Portsmouth Dockyard.