BRITAIN'S DEFENCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 73, 21 March 1908, Page 2

BRITAIN'S DEFENCES.

THE NAVY'S STRENGTH. CRITICISM IN' THE LORDS. London, March 19, In the House of Lords Earl (.'cwjiiOT, formerly First Lord of the Admiralty, criticised the Admiralty's policy. He urged that the new naval base at llosytli should ,be constructed more speedily. He insisted that it was necessary to maintain our unassailable supremacy against any two of the greatest naval powers combined. Lord Tweedinontli, First Lord of the Admiralty, replied. He »aiU Mr. H. L. .Astjiiith's recent declaration as-to the two-Power Klnnilaril was most decisive. In lull no combination of two firstclass Powers would be eyual to Britain in strength. He himself preferred that the stipulated standard should bo "emial to any reasonably probable combination of foreign Powers." He hoped to finish the Rosyth base • in seven Wars.

Unionist newspapers describe Lord Tweedmouth's conception of the twoPower standard as absolutely unsafe and untenable, inasmuch as the attitude of foreign Powers in relation to Britain is always liable to unforeseen changes.

THE ROSYTH NAVAL BASE. *f Received 10.25 p.m. London, March 20. Mr. G- Lambert, Civil Lord of the Admhalty, speaking in the House of Commons, promised that the contractors would be given a bonus if they accelerated the completion of the Rosyth naval base works. He stated that there were two docks at Gibralter capable of taking Dreadnoughts. Lord Tweedmouth has written tD Lord Cawdor explaining that his words, "any reasonable probable combination of foreign Powers," were intended as an extension, not as a restriction, of the twoPower standard. THE ARMY'S STRENGTH. MB. HALDANE'S PROMISE. Received 20th, 10.25 p.m. London, March 20. Jfr Haldane, replying to Lord Roberts' Criticisms, promised not to reduce tie regular artillery until able to supply for every man removed four or five serving on the militia basis. Generals French and Lyttelton sup ported the value of the territorial ortil-ler-v - :.:i«L .