NAVIES AND PEACE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2248, 7 September 1914, Page 8

NAVIES AND PEACE

In an article contributed to "The Peace Movement" (and intended to be read at an International Peace Congress at Vienna), Captain Pereras, a retired German naval officer, discusses the enormous growth of armaments.'Hβ points out that '14 years ago ships of the lino had a displacement of 10,000 tons, and cost £800,000 to build.. Now vessels of the Markgraf class cost £2,506.500, and Italian ships of tbo lino of the'same type cost £3,600,000. The best way, he says, to realise the rapidity with which armaments have increased is to compare the Naval Budgets of the chief Sea Powers.' Beforo the introduction of the German Navy Bill, that is in 1899-1900, these Budgets were as follow—Germany, £6.690,000'; England, £27,125,000 ;■ France, £12,295,000;' United States, £11,200,000; Russia, £9,245,000; Italy, £4,855,000; and Austria, £1,550,000. This year's Budget (those for 1914-1915 not being yet all of them known, those for 1913-1914 are given), are as follow; —Germany, £23,365,000: England, £47,235,000; France, £18,450,000; United States, £29,535,000; Russia, £24,875,000; Italy, £10,270,000; and Austria, _ £7,76'0,00Q. It is obvious that competition in naval armaments has almost quadrupled in Germany within tho last 15 years, and nearly doubled in England. Captain Persius continues: "Now that our navy is strong enough to command Tespeet, say foil-: in Germany, England will no longer dare to pick a quarrel "with us. To which it may be answered that formerly, when Germany had virtually no navy, England did not harbour offensive dosigns upon her. Tho most that can be asserted is that, although the tendency towards aggression has appeared iirEngland, it did not do so until after the German navy had begun to grow powerful. To suppose that Great Britain would ever wage an offensive war against Germany-is certainly to under-estimato English common sense. On tho other hand, will Germany over throw down tho gauntlet 'to England ? What would Germany gain thereby? Even on tho nioet favourablo supposition—that we involved England in heavy losses, sncl that our army beat Uiose of Russia and France, the war, in tho opinion of competent judpes, would cost about £500,000,000, while- the loss to our trade and our new industries would amount to another £1,000,000,000. Moreover, there is not tlio slightest doubt that the conquered nations would afterwards strain every nervo to bo even with us; and, further, tho other countries would revolt against tho tyrant of the world, and "thoro would soon have to bo aiiother groat settling up, the end of which would infallibly be the defeat of Germany. The writer further reveals the methods by which tho German Navy Leacue has fostsrod tho demand for a larger navy. "It is no exaggeration," he declares, "to say that the German navy owes its existence to the efforts of this league, which will take care that in future distrust of England does not die down, in order that the building up _of, tho nayv may bo continued with all

speed, and one supplementary Navy Bill follow nuother. It also meditates making the German navy more powerful than the- British —in short, this is, of course, its real object. .Such an organisation as . tho German Navy League does not exist, and never has existed anywhere else. According to its report, dated December 31, 1913, it lias now 1,123,628 members, Mid its organ "The Navy" (Dio Flotte), is printed off in 70,000 copies. Any number of communications are- sent out free by it to the newspapers, • which are very glad to print them as they often consist of admirably written articles by highly placed naval officers; and they are all the more- eagerly accepted because their source need not be acknowledged.' Supported as it 'is by those interested in armaments; tho league has. plenty of funds at its disposal. It frequently arranges to take teachers with their scholars for free excursions to the sea coast, and thus gains an influence over the rising generation. The officers of the league work hand in glove witli tho Admiralty, ■which in its turn backs them up in every way. Tho league' 3 officers, moreover, do precisely what the navy wishes to be done, which explains the ease with which Budgets go through the Reichstag; and so great is the pressure exerted by an electorate under the thumb of the Navy League that hardly any deputy belonging to''one of the ■ popular parties ventures to raise his voice against any inorease of Germany's naval power."