THE BRITISH NAVY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9399, 20 March 1909, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

PRESSURE TO ACCELERATE BUILDING. United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. London, March 19. In the House of Commons Mr Austen Chamberlain continued the naval debate. He said that Ministers had been living in a fool’s paradise. A year ago they had better security than they had now, and in any case the margin was dangerously narrow. They had been forgetful of such a contingency as a shipbuilding strike. Mr Chamberlain and Mr Bouar Law insisted that ti was essential to lay down immediately the Dreadnoughts promised for April. Mr McKenna said the coming battleships would he 30 per, cent, better than the Dreadnoughts. Mr Balfour, noticing that Mr McKenna avoided a direct promise that four Dreadnoughts would be laid down in April, taxed Mr Asquith, who promised this would he done if the acceleration cf the German programme continued. The Opposition strongly objected to the qualified promise. Mr Asquith, evidently referring to the statement of Admiral Tirpitz, said “Certain declarations filled mo with snrpise. I await fnrther;expla> nations.” N The Times recalls that Krupps loan was made on July 33rd, 1908, proving that Germany’s order to accelerate construction of battleships was given in April, not October. MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE CRISIS. A SHOOK FOR THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES. Received March 20, 8.30 a.m. London, March 19. A number of Peers and Members of the House of Commons a requisition asking Mr Asquith for an inquiry into the administration o£;|che Admiralty. Meetings are being organised in the City and at Liverpool in connection with the naval crisis. The Standard’s Berlin correspondent reports that Mr Asquith’s statement that the Admiralty ascertained what happened almost immediately after German battleships were begun has caused an unpleasant surprise to the German authorities who had no idea the secret was so inefficiently guarded. Elaborate precautions were previously taken to canoeal the extent of sipbuilding operations. AUSTRALIAN OPINION. Received March 20, 8.35 a.m. Melbourne, March 20, The Minister for Defence, referring to the naval situation, says that it is the most serious situation British statesmen have had to face for the last century.