INDIA'S OFFER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1612, 2 December 1912, Page 5

INDIA'S OFFER.

TWELVE WARSHIPSPRINCES' GIFT FOR IMPERIAL NAVY. A MIXED RECEPTION. By leleeraph—Press Association—Oopyrfelit London, November 29. A number of ■ Indian rulers, princes, and nobles are conferring at Bombay, with a view of presenting three superDreadnoughts and nine armoured cruisers to Great Britain. It is suggested that the vessels should be stationed in the Bed Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. The movement originated during a visit of two leading Rajput Princes to England. Mr. "Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, when first sounded, considered the scheme impracticable, but sixty Rajput Princes and many others, as well as the Indian people, responded to the suggestion. to contribute. A HUGE BILL. TTNDESIBABLE TO TAX NATIVES. (Rec. December 1, 6.5 p.m.) London, Novembor 30. The India Office is without information as to the offer of the Indian princes. The practicability of the • scheino ie doubted in many quarters. Tho battleships would oost .£0,750,000, and the battle-cruisers .£18,000,000, or, if only armoured cruisers, were presented, .£11,250,000. It is impossible for the princes to find the amount, and it is undesirable to tax tho natives. . STORY OF THE OFFER. HOW THE PRINCES WERE APPROACHED. (Roo. December 1, 5.5 p.m.) London, November 80. The "Daily Telegraph" states that the scheme was conceived when Mr. Borden, Prime Minister of Canada, visited London. Sovoral. princes were then approached by Shakurshri Jessrajsinghji See.sodia, who secured the approval of the Maharajah of Alwar, the Raj Band of Jhalawar, and then communicated with tho princes of Bhaunagar, Bikaner, Jaipur, Kashmir, Jodhpur, Bendi, Mewar, Mysore, Nepal, and Rewa. These princes were favourable to the plan as a demonstration of India's loyalty to the Empire, but Shakurshri Togretted that Mr. Churchill threw cold water on it, saying that he did not think it practicable for a moment. "But we were not discouraged/' stated Shakurshri, '"knowing that Governments are transient,"and proceeded with our plans, which were received with enthusiasm in India." GIFT DEPRECATED. NOT A SOUND BASIS FOR SECURITY. (Rec. December 1, 5.5 p.m.) London, November SO. The "Daily Mail's" Indian correspondent -suggests that if the native princes desire to give .further proof of their undoubted loyality,, they should increase their "quotas of 'Imperial" service troops, particularly infantry. Hitherto Baroda has not raised 6ervice troops, though several appeals have been made. It would be a most undesirable departure to tax the natives for the British Navy. The Parliamentary correspondent of the "Daily News" says the offer is the outcome of a clever intrigue. The Federated Malay States having offered a cruiser, to be paid for in the more or less remote future, hints were dropped in other directions. The affair, the "News" declares, is a press campaign to levy ship-money on tho native States; the princes will not pay a penny. The "Morning Post" deprecates the gift, as India is already contributing heavily to Imperial defence through the British Army. The democracy ehould not rest its security upon revenues derived from suk ject' races—that would be an ignominious end to tho British Empire. INTEREST IN GERMANY.

(Bee. December 1, 5.5 p.m.) Berlin, November 80. The news of the offer by the Indian princes to present a 'squadron to the British Navy aroused the liveliest interest in the lobbies of the Reichstag. General Liebert, the pan-German leader, said the offer was extraordinarily interesting, but it would not stampede Germany into fresh naval legislation. 'As the British fleet is distributed, Germany is convinced that she can hold her own in home waters.