THE NAVAL RACE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1713, 2 April 1913, Page 7

THE NAVAL RACE.

BRITAIN'S RESERVE POWER.

MR. CHURCHILL REPLIES TO GERMAN CRITICS.

DOMINIONS AND THE FUTURE. '

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (liec. April 1, 9,30 p.m.) ~ , , London, April I.' Air. Winston Churihill, . First lord of the in a B paech in tho Hou4 of Commons, defended the aviation- reguatoms recently issued by tho Homo Office, and said the Admiralty warmly welcomed them. It was dssential. that aircraft should to under tho direction of the Admiralty. Mr Churchill rebutted the suggestion that he had offered Germany a twelve months holiday in warship construction because ot congestion in the British dockyards. It would be passible to cbmmence four or live capital"ships in 1!)13, in addition to the annual live and the Malay gift ship, thus making a tola! of leu or eleven ships, which could be completed in from twenty-four to thirty, months. There would bo no difficulty in manning thi< number, of ships, and it would not bo necessary to borrow money or impose l'resh taxation to defray the cost, as the money 'which would prdinarily go in reduction of the National Debt far exceeded anything required. Britain, however, would not take such steps, beeauso the building of p 0 111! my ships was unnecessary at present, but having regard to the responsibilities oi the Empire ill the "Pacific mid' tho Mediterranean, it was clear that tho .margin of strength available for the whole world service would.- bo insufficient after the liist quarter of I'JIG unless the Dominions or Britain took furthorrsteps. If a new development occurred in the Mediterranean or the Pacific, or tho Canadian ships miscarried, it would be -necessary to review the situation. Britain could build the three proposed Caradian'shipS herself, but the fact of Canada coming forward to testify to the enduring life of tho Umpire' had already produced an impression throughout the world that was as valuable as many Dreadnoughts. It v/as immaterial whether this ■ Canadian offer took the form of Mr. Borden's or Sir Wilfrid I.aurier's policy. "WHOLLY UNTRUE." LORD CHARLES BERESFC'RD REBUKED. London, March'3l. Mr. Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, replied in tlup House of Commons to Lord Charles Beresford's statement that: the Fleet is twenty thousand 111011 short, and that, though Britain is able to . build ships, she is unable to man them. Mr, Churchill declared the statement was wholly untrue, and that anyone making -it . de-erved thoicensure of all right-mimled members on bqth sides of the House.