A LANCE FOR THE NAVY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2322, 2 December 1914, Page 5

A LANCE FOR THE NAVY

SPEECH BY LORD CHARL'IS BERESFORD THE BULWARK DISASTER ("Times" and Sydney "Sua" Services.) London, November 30. Speaking in. the House of Commons Lord Charles Beresford referred to the loss of H.M.S. Bulwark as a tragedy, unprecedented in the history of the Navy. Ho deprecated the making of conclusions as to tho cause until inquiry is made. It was specially desir* pus iu tho presont oxoitement regarding the enemy and aliens that the loss should not be attributed to treachery, Tho public, he said, seemed to hat"' • hour doubts as to the Navy's capabil—ities of carrying out its duty. The Navyi '':.• was in a better position as regards ships '7. and the training of men than ever be- ""'" fore. The people need not have the"' |east alarm about an Invasion; that wag. ; . impossible now that the Navy was or-.' ganised for war. He warned the people j against under-rating the enemy. He be-J lieved the German Navy would come outr at night in a fog, and in the melee' none could say what might happen. } But whatever happened, luck or no luck,.jt we would win in the end. Their trustr'' in the Navy would be fully repaid.. j

Our Recent Disasters. - Mr. Winston Ohurohill (First Lord of 'I 'the Admiralty) said it was impossible ■•'- at present to disclose the orders, with- "'"" out. which the public was unable to form •"? a judgment on the action in the Pa- : cific, the loss'of the cruisers on the'' Dutch coast, and the expedition to Ant- '■ werp. He paid a tribute to the newspapers' for the way in which they had helped tho course of. military operations j they, had upheld the interests of the coun- ', try. Sir. Churchill added that he look- -\ ed forward hopefully to the day when ,' : all parts of the naval administration *£ could be weighed by the nation. ..'„£"