NEEDS OF THE NAVY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2146, 23 March 1908, Page 2

NEEDS OF THE NAVY.

THE TWO-POWER STANDARD

“There can ibo no doubt that in 1908 England stands at the parting of tho -ways. The navy estimates of tho present year will try the British Government and the British Admiralty decisively. They wild show whether the policy of ‘cutting down the navy for the socialists’ has been .abandoned in 'face of the enormous .programme now before the German Reichstag; whether tho Government and the House of Commons understand the danger which menaces this country, and whether they are prepared to take steps to meet tho greatest peril that has threatened tho British Empire since the days when Napoleon was making ready to invade these islands.” Such are the opening sentences of an article which Mr H. W. Wilson, the well-known authority on naval questions, contributes to the “National Review.” Since he wrote the estimates have appeared, and lately a significant debate on the maintenance of the two-power standard has taken place in tho House of ‘ (Commons. There can bo no doubt that Mr Wilson will see in both estiniates and dobato tho fulfilment of bis worst fears. Though the Government and the House emphatically rejected Mr Murray Macdonald’s demand (for stall further reductions, the Ministerial programme evidently falls far 6hort of what 51 r Wilson- considers to be the minimum which safety requires. If his view of the outlook be correct, the two-power standard is not in fact being” adhered to, and the reason for Mr Balfoilr’s (insistence upon an explicit declaration of faith in it becomes obvious.

In one important respect the estimates bear witness to the shrewdness of Mr Wilson’s criticism. Remarking .upon liis own persistent warnings against the insufficiency of the 6ums allocated in the past three years to the building of small cruisers and destroyers, ho says:—“The Nemesis of such misplaced economy is now seen in the .fact that the funds available for new construction this year will bo largely mortgaged—required _ for tlie construction of smaller cruisers and destroyers, which ought to have been provided in instalments in former years. Thus, at -the very moment when a- great expansion in the battleship programme is vital to British prestige and security, the Admiralty finds that millions will bo wanted for other and less important types of ship to make good the inexorable effects of wear and tear. It finds, too, that other millions will bo needed to build -the new docks in tho North 'Sea-, without .which the British fleet .will bo handicapped in its work. Tho four years -which have passed since the site of Rosytli was acquired have been -wasted in wretched squabbles between the Admiralty and Treasury; the money which should -have been -devoted to the creation of a good base there has been turned to other -and less important uses; and now tlie Admiralty is confronted by tlie -fact that it must set to work with desperate haste, and pour out millions, if this country is not going to be completely outdistanced by its rivals. The seven German docks now built or building on the North Sea, and the eighth projected, must he faced by at least eight British docks; and even eight are not enough. This means that six docks for be constructed in .the immediate future.”

On turning to the estimates, published on Wednesday week, it will he observed that, while only one Dreadnought and one armoured cruiser are to he laid down, the major part of the comparatively small sum, £7,545,202, allowed for new construction is to 'be expended on six protected cruisers, sixteen destroyers, and a number of submarines. At • the same time, provision has to be made for the Itosyth base. Mr Wilson shows from diagrams of comparative expenditure and comparative tonnage that for the past few _ years Great Britain has been losing its lead, until in 1907 it actually fell below the standard, and barely kept pace with Germany alone in construction. In view of foreign programmes—more especially ,tlie ,Gorman'and American —'lie indicates that (unless those .programmes are greatly modified) the British , Government must, to hold its. own in the race, fay down yearly eight. Dreadnoughts —precisely the number required by Mr Stead’s standard of two keels for Germany’s one. That involves an outlay of from £45,000,000 to £50,000,000. Great 'Britain, Mr Wilson concludes, must husband its revenue, avoid old-age pensions and other extravagances, and concentrate its attention upon the needs of the navy.