THE NAVY LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2382, 11 February 1915, Page 8

THE NAVY LEAGUE

NEW YEAR MESSAGE. The following New Year message ha 6 been received by Mr; C. W. Palmer from the Head Office in London of the Navy _ League:— It has been the custom of the Navy League to submit to its members and to the people of the Empire, its care-fully-considered view upon the naval situation at the beginning of each New 'Year. In the circumstances of the moment, however, it is undesirable to discuss questions of naval policy; but the Wavy League is in a position to express in the most unqualified terms its entire satisfaction with the conduct of the Navy since the beginning of the war, and to declare its'abounding confidence in the capacity and efficiency of the fleet to achieve its great purpose. The Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet and the officers and men in allour fighting ships deserve the warmest congratulations of the British race throughout t!» world. for their unswerving zeal, devotion to duty, and spirit of selfsacrilice which have been manifest in every incident affecting tho Navy sinco the beginning of the struggle. Tho members of tho Navy League deeply deplore the loss of so many valuable lives of the gallant men who have gone down with their ships in the engagements which have .taken place, and it will bo the especial care of our organisation to do everything possible to look after the interests of the families these men have left behind.

It must give, the liveliest satisfaction to the members of the league everywhere to' feel that outside the North Sea the waters of the world are practically free to the commerce of the Allies and that of neutral nations. Only a few scattered cruisers of the enemy fleet remain in outer waters': and the grave danger which threateuea British shipping through the criminal disregard by the enemy of tho law of nations in the indiscriminate employment of mines in the open sea is now effectively under control. It is with peculiar pleasure that the league has observed the complete elimination of party politics from the affairs of the Navy during \tho past five months, and it appeals for the support of the people of this country and of the whole Empire in demanding that after peace has been secured —which in the main will be achieved through tho sea power of Great Britain—party politics shall not again be allowed to obtrude upon questions affecting naval defence. The league desires to warn the country of the danger which must be faced from tho email but very aggressive Little-Navyito section of the community, whose fanatical opposition to naval power, and whose misguided notions of peace have not been modified oven by the experiences of this terrible war. These unpatriotic persons are now making, and will much more so on tho appioach of peace make, <*rcry effort to weaken British . supremacy at sea-; and the members of the league will bo constantly on the alert to counteract their' activity. Tho league holds strongly that British command of the sea in the future will remain a dominant consideration in maintaining the permanent peace of the world, and 'it urges upon every patriotio citizen the primary duty of resisting by every conceivable means every lrrnd of intrigue and all organised effort, no matter what the ostensible motive which may aim at the reduction of our naval power below that standard which is essential to hold the command of the sea for the British Empire. The incidents wlrich have taken place at aea duriug the campaign are of little military importance as affecting tho general operations of the fleet. The superiority of the British Navy in relation to that of the enemy is increasing almost day by day, and when the moment of supreme trial presents itself our Navy in ships, men, and equipment will bo fully prepared for every contingency. The members of the Navy League may face the future full of confidence in tho Fleet and full of hope that our sea power upon which the Empire floats will discharge nobly its great duty in securing the peace and progress of mankind."