AUSTRIA'S NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1556, 27 September 1912, Page 7

AUSTRIA'S NAVY.

n O : if 3 LAKGER VOTES ADVOCATED. By TcleEraph—l'ress Association—CopyriEht e Vienna, September 25. j Count Montecuccoli, Austrian Minister .. for the Navy, in addressing the Defence Committee delegations, declared that the increase in the Naval Estimates in nowise corresponded with the country's needs. J ' REMARKABLE PROPOSAL. ' . Under the heading of "England and our Monarchy," the "Pester Lloyd," of Vienna, a recently published an article which caused 0 much discussion everywhere. This jourj nal had already declared that AustriaHungary was prepared to make certain concessions, in case England undertook y nover to attack the Austro-Hungarian y' fleet. This idea is enlarged upon and exi. plained in . a further article,. which ,was plainly' inspired. 1 It was stated by the writer that if England ; were' to declare that sho would ■ never'attack the Austro-Hungarian fleet, tho Monarchy would entertain proposals ■- for the abandoument of her naval pro--2 gramme. ' I "Our proposition has made a deep im- ' pression in diplomatic circle?. It has 6 above nil destroyed tho legend that the Monarchy wished to pleaso Germany bv her naval programme, or that sho hail armed for a quarrel with, Italy. Both versions are incorrect. It is "simply a question of the protection of our coast and our commerce. If Austria-Hungary knew for a certainty that in case of an - Anglo-German war her coasts would no( - need to be defended against the English it ships, a continuation of our urmaments t might be avoided. Austria-Ifungar.v is al y liberty to continue Iter naval pi'dgrammt b independently or without reference to the 6 alliance with Germany. She pessrsses tht right to Come to an understanding on this 5 subject with other Powers." l -