The British Navy.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4392, 30 March 1909, Page 2

The British Navy.

NEW ZEALAND’S OFFER. CONGRATULATIONS FROM AUSTRALIA. London. March 28. Me Walter Runciman, President of the Board of Education, in a speech at Colchester declared that the naval agitation was an artificially created scire. He declared the British navy is impregn able, and said there were no German Dreadnoughts afloat, while Germany only had two fifths Britain’s number of sailors available to man their ships. The Government’s motto in naval affairs was safety without superfluity, London, March 28.

Dr T. J. McNamara, Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Treasury, denies any likelihood of Germany getting ahead of England. In April 1912 the margin might possibly be small in the Dreadnought fleet, but the Government’s programme fully assured national safety. London, March 28.

Admiral Sir Percy Scott, in a speech on Saturday, declared the value of a fleet depends more upon its hitting power than its numbers. On the Indomitable, eight guns recently made double the number of hits to the Dreadnought’s ten. London, March 28.

Mr C. W. Bellairs, M. P., whom the Liberal Association repudiated because of the belief with necessity of an increase with naval estimates, was accorded at a meeting of his constitutents, a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. The motion declared the anxiety of the country and Empire regarding the naval suprem • acy proved Mr Bellairs’ warnings right, and earned the gratitude of his countrymen by the stand he had, t ken. Sydney, March 29. The Lord Mayor on behalf of the citizens of Sydney, cabled Sir Joseph Ward, congratulating him on New Zealand’s noble offer to Britain, adding “ Australia has no alternative, but to follow your lead. ’’