THE NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1709, 28 March 1913, Page 5

THE NAVY.

MR. CHURCHILL'S POLICY.

[ GIFT SHIPS TO FORM A SQUADRON. A GREAT SPEECH. APPEAL TO GERMANY. ■ Dy Telegraph—"roes Association—Copyright ; (Rec. March 27, 11.Jo p.m.) London, March 27> Mr. Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, in his statement in the House of Commons' on. tho Naval' Estimates, said ho feared there was no prospect of avoiding increasing the Estimates unless the- acute rivalries were checked. Great Britain in 1920, if the! Canadian : and Malay ships l were included, would' possess forty-fivo sUpcr-Dreadiioiights to' ! Germany's- / twenty-four. : Mr. Churchill added that the Estimates would have been substantially higher but for tile congestion in the shipyards. If . this' was relieved', it would' be - necessary to submit Supplementary Estimates later in the year. The. latest German, naval law and the-Mediterranean requirements, had entailed' a' further increase. Britain was perhaps best able, to bear the- strain, of tho acute rivalriv, but although the. maintenance of naval' security must be. the first charge ou the Empire's resources, tho pitiful folly of what was now occurring throughout the-world was so patent ' to the meanest intelligence that a concert- ' od ! effort to. arrest it should surely bo the first of international objects.

"A Naval' Holiday." ■ Mr. Chnrchill repeated bis last year's suggestion for a naval holiday, and said the proposal was a simple one that should ' not lead to misunderstanding. It was not an appeal of weakness. Ho addressed' the . appeal to all nations, aild : with the proJoundest sincerity to Germany. The ! British Government welcomed' tlio calm-,, friendly tone, and temper of recent German naval discussions. Relations had sensibly improved, and from the perils' and anxieties under which Europe had dwelt these many months, Britain and' Germany had drawn the conviction that both desire! to preserve peace. Britain's nival policy towards Germany was based 'on' strength, candour, and simplicity. Both nations must be perfectly fre£ to pursue a wise naval course. The people of Britain could not be expected; indefinitely to bear tho whole burden of Imperial defence, and they were now doing more than their duty to the Empire. If the pressure at the decisive theatre continued to grow, it behoved tile overseas Dominions to provide for their ovrrc and the common security by local navies, or, what was. more effectual, l>y additions to tho Imperial Navy, so as to preserve its, world-wide mobility.. Ee regarded tie overseas ships as additional to the sixty per cent, standard, but not additional to the world-wide requirements of the Empire. . \

A Dominions' SquidrON. Tho Admiralty .prOjwsed to form tho Canadian, Malays and New Zealand ships into an Imperial squadron', based on Gibraltar. ; The squadron would occasionally visit the Dominions to show the flag, and would be ready to operate at the danger point at Home or abroad. Special facilities Would be- offered to colonials to man and officer tlie squadron, which would be strengthened by light cruisers if any of the Dominions saw fit. The Dominions should also be encouraged to develop naval bases nfid dockyards,and local flotillas of auxiliaries.-

Mr. Churchill, continuing, forecasted that nine capital ships would_ be constructed on behalf of the Empire in 1913. With regard-to 1914, he had rea<sott to believe that Germ-any desired to' cancel, or postpone that year's . programme. As Britain, was laying down four ships to W two, mutual cessation Would clearly not be to the disadvantage of Germany. If Britain and Germany acted'together, for one year, and prevented the wasteful, purposoless, ' and futile folly, their, influence would be'priceless and measureless. By the end of the year Britain would have a hundred naval aeroplanes, and over a hundred , pilots, or threo hundred between the army and navy combined. The aviation expenditure would involve ■£750,000. The Admiralty is preparing to equip first-class liners to repel attacks of foreign merchantmen. While regretting tho throw-back owing to the delay in tho ratification , of tho Marconi agreement, it was necessary for thff Admiralty to devise other arrangements for its wireless telegraphy system.

Danger of a Narrow Margin. • Mr. Churchill, in concluding, said Britain iould not afford to allow any, naval Power to approach so nearly as to deflect her from political action by naval pressure. Such a situation would inevitably lead to war. He pointed out tho gravo danger of a- too-narrow margin of safety. The Government believed thoy had provided a sufficient margin, but if they revised tlieir judgment, tlley would not hesitate to seek further Parliamentary autliority. , Mr. Phillip Mofrcll, Liberal member fof Buniley, moved an. amendment, that offers_ of colonial <*>-Operation should be submitted to the .approval of the local Parliament' concerned before acceptance. Mr. Churchill, in reply, stated that Mr Borden, Prime Minister of Canada, when in England, had never requested naval assistance, .nor had he (Mr. Churchill) any* knowledge as to what Mr. Borden had intended to pi'oposo to tho Canadian Parliament. The amendment was withdrawn.