OUR NAVY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 15 April 1909, Page 4

OUR NAVY.

London, April 12. Premier Asquith has promised to carefully consider a letter Wherein Lieut. Bellairs, member for King’s Lynn, and several peers and members of the House of Commons suggest an infinity into the scope, effects, arid ’changes of the navy during the last .|o years. It is suggested that witnesses should be given a guarantee that their testimony would be treated as confidential, and would not affect their promotion. The writers of the letter urge that it would be better to inquire before the crisis than after, as in the case of the army after the Boer war. The Times publishes a long special article defending the existing admiralty system, and Admiral Sir John Fisher. Bkki.in, April 10. The newspaper Vorwarts warns the majority in the Reichstag that unless an agreement with Britain on naval armaments is reached, there will be a fearful disaster sooner or later. The Vossische Zeitung says that reasonable Germans are aware that, owing to her colonies and commerce, Britain is bound to have, and will have, a superior navy. London, April 10. The Spectator reports that the Australian Dreadnoughts will possibly be completed in 1911. In any event, they will cause the withdrawal from the British North Sea fleet of four Dreadnoughts for permanent station in the Mediterranean, The Times, which has hitherto been a consistent supporter of the regime of Admiral Sir John Fisher (First Sea Lord of the Admiralty), alleges in a long article that he has made the Admiralty a one - man Department, and has thus prevented continuity of naval policy. Pakjs, April 12.

M. Delcasse’s Commission of Inquiry into the navy visited the battleships Justice and Eiberte and found the boilers in a lamentable condition, necessitating reboilering. The work on the French Dreadnoughts was considered satisfactory, but the Commission found a grave and dangerous neglect existing in the melinite stores and workshops. Sydnkv, April 12.

The Minister for Home Affairs slates the talk of giving a Dreadnought under the existing financial conditions is mere charlatanry, so transparent as to excite universal contempt. Viknna, April 12.

At Easter the newspapers of Austria are following the usual custom, and are full of articles by prominent politicians and writer, all of which are laudatory and self - congratulatory of AustroHungary’s triumphant reassertion of her position. They agree that an active foreign policy must continue.