DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 29

DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE

LONDON. February 11. A meeting of the Moderate Liberal members of the House of Commons passed a resolution to the effect that they ar» confident that the Government will preserve the defences of the Empire in a state of complete efficiency. They deprecated the suggestion that pressure should be put on the Government to frnodify the Naval Estimates, which the* deliberate judgment of the Government auproves. The Daily Graphic reports that the Government proposes to increase the Naval Estimates by one million and a-half, and to make some reduction in the Army Estimates by reducing the number of men serving with the colours. February 13. The Radicals are strongly pre&sing the Government to reduce the Navy Estimates. Mr Wyndham (ex-Secretary for Ireland in Mr Balfour's Government), addressing the 1900 Club, said that if Great Britain wished to retain her supremacy of the 6ea she mutt increase, the number ot her Dreadnoughts, and complete the base at Rcsyth without delay. Great Britain, he added, must never lower the Union Jack before the red flag of cosmopolitan Socialism. February 15. Mr Haldane (Minister of War), addressing a meeting of the London Chamber of Commerce, said the great broad defence of the nation rested on sea supremacy. If Britain, lost that she lost the mainspring of her defence. The military power of Britain was based on her sea power. Let them listen to no one urging them to do with a navy without an aimy. The two services must stand or fall together. The Nation, a Liberal weekly edited by Mr Massingham, says that if Mr Haldane and Lord Tweedmouth are unable to keep the cost of the army and javy within the bounds which a democratic House of Commons will willingly sanction they mu6t give place to otheis.