THE BRITISH NAVY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY

MR. CHURCHILL'S SPEECH

MERELY A PUBLIC WARNING

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. March 10, 5.5 p.m.) . London; March 9. In" the House of Commons, 1 Mr. , j Churchill, in defining yesterday's state. , ! ment, said his feeling of disquietude arose from doubt whether the battleship and destroyer programme was ■ being worked to arranged dates,, or to I .f e Y}?9.d.datesHo had no reason to ' BU PPpse thai; our margin of strength. ■ was'insufficient at the present time but j tho. greatest' efforts .must be made to i carry out the naval programme at the ; highest possible speed. : ' Ho had to make the First Lord of ; the Aumiralty (Mr, A. J. Balfour) a ■ present of all the rhetorical retorts de- ! rivable from his relations with Lord Fisher, but the real fact was if Lord -i fisher could be associated in some way. j with the carrying out of Lord Fisher's . ) own programme it would bo greatly to the public,advahtage. ' . . 1 .Mr. J. M. Hogge (M.P. for Edin- 1 i Durgh E.) protested against the dispute, j •and blamed Mr. Oliurchill for returning j to the House and starting a. hare which ! Imd got a good start, and would not ; easily-, be caught. ; Mr. Churchill's friends insist that he' ! came to London not intending to make j more than a short speech urging an ag- ; gressive air policy against German, hangars. His wife and mother implor- . cd him to adopt an outspoken attitude.. \ Owing to Mr. Churchill's adventur- \ ons audacity, everybody is looking for j intrigue behind the speech. Comments, > lali generally on party lines. j •The "Manchester Guardian" declares > that Sir. Churchill received full informa- ■' tion about new Admiralty work, and j the condition of Lord Fisher's ship- . i Duilding programme, whereupon he felt \ bound to make serious disclosures. The j admits that it is absurd I to seek for petty personal motives. Mr.- j Churcniil does not desire to leave the Army. His speech was intended as a. i warning', and was littered with a deep , j sense of responsibility. j