RACE FOR ARMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1622, 13 December 1912, Page 7

RACE FOR ARMS.

BRITAIN'S NAVAL NEEDS. .'«« THE TIMES" FORECASTS A SHORTAGE. EXTRA DREADNOUGHT WANTEDBy Association—Copyright (Rec. December 18, 0.15 a.m.) London, December 12. "The Times" says that even with tho Australian and New ealand Dreadnoughts the Admiralty programme in March, 1914, will be one ship below the sixty per cent standard. A sixth Dreadnought must be laid down in 1913 in place of the battleship New Zealand. The Dominion ships must only be counted in as extra 'to the European standard, as it would be dangerous for Britain to depend on a distant Dominion, and intolerable unless the New Zealand was free to come and go as the Dominion desires. The British yards are capable of, producing ten super-Dread-noughts in 1913 if the Admiralty give 3 warning in time. :." AUSTRALIAN POLICY, MORE CONFERENCES DESIRED. Melbourne, December 12. Speaking in tho Senate, the'Mdnister for Defence, Mr. Pearce, said tie Government had come to a definite conclusion regarding the representation of Australia on the Defence Committee. It favoured full conferences of representatives of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, not .less frequently than two years. , The conferences should meet in the Dominions whenever possible; and subsidiary' conferences should be held to deal with particular matters when necessary. The Government' also favoured periodical visits of. British Ministers to the Dominions. , ' ■ Mr. Pearce added that the Government was not corresponding with the British Government regarding representation oh the lines laid down by Canada, or on any other lines., THE BREAKING POINT. BRITAIN'S HEAVY BURDENS. ■' (Eec. December 12, 9.15 p.m.) Melbourne, December 12. The "Argus," in commenting on the Admiralty memorandum tabled in the House, says that those with wit to read between the lines will fully understand the. terrible pressure that will be felt when the Powers' of the Triple Alliance complete. their programmes, and the strain must ere; long reach breaking point if these programmes are enlarged, and the United Kingdom has still to; bear its disproportionate share of the common Imperial burden. The situation must be frankly faced, and we may be sure that just before the breaking-point war will be inevitable. Tho "Argus" urges the need for the. Dominions bearing their share of the burden, and adds: "If we win in the race for armaments, peace, is ensured, but failure will entail a direr, burden in war, and'war at a disadvantage." . CANADA AND THE COMMITTEE. Ottawa, December 11. Mr.' G. H. Perley, Minister- without Portfolio, is likely to' represent Canada on the Imperial' Defence' Committee.;-'..,,,!'.'