WHAT WAR MAY COST.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9467, 9 June 1909, Page 3

WHAT WAR MAY COST.

A MILLION POUNDS A DAY. A war with Germany would cost; ns a million ponnds a day. If an invincible fieefc will efficiently avert a war. it is fcbe best investment the nation can make. This is the opinion expressed by a prominent naval officer to theDevonport correspondent of the Express. Naval men at Plymoath and Devonport are unanimons in their satisfaction at the national demand for eight new Dreadnoughts tb'S year. They maintain that the advent of these powerfnl vessels;plaoes England at a distinct disadvantage in the competition of armaments by rendering all previous types relatively obsolete. The officer referred to above pointed ont that the duration of a sea war is necessarily covered by the size and efficiency of thd contending fleets. “A million pounds a day,” be said, “is half the price of a Dreadnought. “Now, suppose that the possession of ten more Dreadnoughts out down the duration®of a struggle by only one month, the expenditure would be more than justified. Here is the economic argument in favour of an all-powerful Navy in a nutshell. If an invincible fleet will efficiently avert a war, it is the best investment the nation can make.” Naval men at Portsmouth are of the same opinion. “In no uncertain manner,” said an officer to the Express oorrepsondent, “we must show that we are determined not to imperil onr naval supremacy by laying down fewer than eight ships this year. “Germany will set> that we are in earnest, and’ she may then revise her naval policy. In modern naval warfare wastage will be in ships. “No matter how skilled onr personnel, we shall be helpless if we have not the ships to fight in. Further, we must have, and quickly too, more docks on the east coast to take and repair the protection of shore batteries.”