The Naval Increase.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 26, 13 April 1889, Page 3

The Naval Increase.

The news that Great Britain is to I spoud £21,000,000 in the building of | seventy warships is remarkable as j chronicling the largest expenditure . for warlike purposes ever proposed iu | time of peace. It moreover shows that,; the Government tins taken a distinct, and it would appear a wise decision In i regard 11 its foreign p..1 icy. [t has I made up its mind to rely on national . resources in place of seeking seuurity I ift foreign alliances. Exclusive atteo- | tion to British interests is to be the i watchword of Lard £*li»lu*ry asjtwsV j formerly that of Lord Beacousf old and I that is the true British policy. Firat as to the uavsl situation, pure and j simple. Great Britain, in the event of war, murt rely upon lier Navy, as i with the present pru igious stale of I Continental armaments it would be ; impossible for her to spare sufficient ! troops for extensive di-tant cutupaignj ing operations. Of the 208,000 wen ' nt which the British army is estimated there would be required, in the event | of a rupture with a first-class power; i 15,000 to 20,000 for garrisoning Can- ' nda and the American colonies, 20,000 for Australia arid New Zealand, 80,000 for India, and 2.">,000 to 30,000 to inoperate for home d-tVnoo, with 120,001) , militia mid nn indefinite unmoor of volunte r-. This pretty well takes up the laud forces mid the situation is coiuplieac.it. d l.y the certainty that war would bring to the homo countries n danger of scarcity oven greater than that of actual iuvusiou It is reckoned that at the present moment two-thirds of the British population are livid;; on food produced ul>ros«l and it i* assured, by Lord Charles Berosibrd, the priino mover in tho agitation tor a really if ficient navy, tlmtns things were going on, France even titling nlone might have had the power, us it is pretty certain nome of her politicians have the will if not to <>tfi.r»o out, ia ptifidc \ Albion, and any rate to do her incalculable damage. The bent naval opiuimi,that of Sir Thomas Symunds; SiiGeoffrey Hornby, and Lord Alce.ter is with.Lord Charles iu holding that for i the safety of the empire, the fleet should be of a strength ouf- ! ficient to protect both sho.v* and com- ; merco ngaitist the fleets of France and any other power combined. This is the nim which the Government's preI sent proposals will, if carried out. substantially achieve. In order to underI stand the position iu which the addition ' of seventy vessels will place the British Navy we must glance at the Bereaford I description of the state of attaint whioh : the great vote is intended to remedy. ' France, which is independent of forj eign food supplies, and which has to 1 provide for the protection of only 181 merchant steamers of over 100 tons, as ; against 5715 owned in the United i Kingdom aud its colonies, has a fleet that is dangerously near equalling any jin Europe. The only means "of thoroughly protecting the immense floating ! interest* of Gnat Britain would be by destroying a hostile fleet or by blockading it in its porta; andeounting what are I called battle ships, there wen, at the ! beginning of this yesr, only thirty-six i available to confront thirt/ French, plus eight armored gnnboats of the i moat formidable type. An for the power of protecting commerce otherwise than by a great naval engage- : meat or a blookade, than were built or bu tiding sixty-one British and men Australian erutesrs of over fifteen ka«U, as against thirty-one French crtrhsrt and eight torpedo vessels of a nrajMra> in fan not* to bs proportion- * i. . "' • ' liK-*.*.. »■..,. . .-.. ...... .-<

a proportion of only I.B*. Tho dan- 1 gertina woaknesa here described has of eoures, not been removed by ; merely j proposing « huge vote, and? aa ho I buttle shins have been laid down for the lau'two years, it cannot be comr lately removed fur four years to come. ' l in, however, something to have it admitted and stops taken lor ita amendment. In regard to the political aspect ■ of the proposed iiAvul increase, as it known to be iuteuded for defence, it ia not likely-toexeito the emulation of the coutiimntit powers, whose (treat- < . nose does not rest upon strength at seu, and who are at present straining! ev*ry nerve to perfect their land fafnss. j It will enable Britain to speak with effect, aud at the time that best suits j her iu regard to her real interests, and I it will give her a bulwark mere roll-! abln than any continental alliance. . Lord Charles BerVsford, in bis mani- ; festo concerning tho state of the sea • forces, declared, that there were two ! pracficablo course* to obtain an open! alliance with' Germany, and so secure . tho peace' of Europe, or to set to work at onto to pot the fleet in a position; to defend England's own " selfish " interests independent of chimerical , allies. It is the latter course that has ,- been chosen. It aesm* the sensible j one, and, ae for ita being selfish, there is the example; of Britain's would-ho ; ally Prince Bismarck for uot acting iu j »u«h matters'.iu ii purely disintorestnd • manner.— Ectniny jfetct. ■ I '■■' <!■ " '' t