THE BRITISH NAVY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 45, 18 March 1909, Page 2

THE BRITISH NAVY.

NEW BUILDING PROGRAMME DISCISSION IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. DISQUIETING STATEMENTS. A NEW AND DAN UK HOI'S POSITION BRITAIN'S ADVANTAGE SUPPING I'TIOM ilEl!.

ERMAN'Y'S EXOR.MOLS DEVELOPMENT. PREMIER'S CRAVE ADMISSIONS. Ueceived March 17. 0.4.5 jj.ni. London. March 17. Tlie House of Commons wu> vvowdct on till* occasion of Mr. Reginald MciKenna (First l-ord of the Admiralty) introducing the Naval Estimates.

The disquieting cll'i'ct which Mr. Hal- | four's detached non-party criticisms aiid Mr. Asquilir.s grave admissions produced were intensilied Jiy the attitude of a majority of the Reduction of Armaments Committee and the Labor Party having been shalten in tiieir resolve to vote against the increase.

ilir. MeKenuu admitted that the Kstimates required tlic strongest justiticatiuu frum a Government pledged to jeace, retrenchment and reform, but the iniits of the British Navy were fixed iy other -Powers. Germany was so tautening her shipbuilding that thirteen headuoughls instead oi nine would be oinpleted l»y 11)11. Britain then would rave sixteen, but it was possible Gernany would complete four more by iipril, 11)12. It was necessary, therefore, or Britain to order guns and armour o enable her to complete four ships >xtra 1»y .March, Ml Mr. McKciinn ontiuued that in HKM there were only ■wo ships in tin 1 German Navy that cere " capable Dreadnoughts. - ' Now here were fourteen, and three were ill ourse of construction. Moreover, Crupps and other firms were now able o supply the component parts of eight rattlcships in a single year. The rcources of British linns were taxed to etain their supremacy in the rapidity ind volume of construction of vessels if the Dreadnought and Invincible types. These were not tile only vessels, but in ase of war it would be impossible to ecall cruisers from foreign service, they icing necessary to keep open the highrays of the sea. The life of vo-vls of he King Edward Vll ami !'"rmidable )ipe had lieen sboi'tened. 111 >;i -li Ihey ,crc not obsolete.

Mr. Balfour (Leader of the Opposition) emphasised the fact that Germany had laid down eight Dreadnoughts in i'.WS. lie quoted the Minister for -Marine's statement in the Reichstag that • We can build as fast as the English." Assuming this was true, in December, 1!H0, Britain would have ten Dreadnought* and Germany thirteen; in July, 1!)11, Britain would have fourteen and Germany seventeen. Mr. Balfour eontinned that for the liivt time in modern history Britain was facing a situation so new and dangerous that it was dillicuU to realise all its import. ''Bordering ou our waters," lie said, "is a Power with a capacity and a will-to compete with'our navy." The Government's programme was utterly insufficient. He asked the House to adopt a resolution, not for a two-Power standaid, which standard was beyond question, but a one-Power standard in firstclass ships, which advantage seemed to he slipping from our grasp. The Premier (iMr. 11. 11. Asquith), replying, admitted the hypotheses upon which the last naval programme 'was based had-been falsified by events. This Government was greatly surprised '.'n November to learn that Germany was hastening the construction of i'our Dreadnought*. II was now untrue that Germany would take thirty months to build a ship. Britain had taken tiventyfour month*. There lmd been such a a enormous development in shipbuilding in Germany and iu the provision for gun mountings and turrets and armaments, that Britain no longer held the advantage. Dealing with Mr. Balfour's estimates, he stated, that Germany had given an- explicit and uiost, distinct declaration that she doesn't intend to further accelerate her naval programme, though this was not a pledge in the sense of an agreement, ami it was therefore impossible to put it before Parliament. Tlit> Government programme was based upon the assumption that Germany's declaration would not be carried out. There was no possibility of an arrangement with Germany for mutual reduction. Efforts in that direction, !ie said, had : heen made, but had failed. If Germany accelerated her building of warships, Britain would have time during the year to make the necessary provision.

Replying to Mr. Balfour, Mr. MeKenna stilted lie believed that only material aud armaments luul been collected for two of the four Dreadnoughts, the construction of which it was proposed to hasten.

Mr. Balfour and Mr. Asquith regretted the necessity of comparisons with Germany, and insisted that they did not imply that relations were strained between Britain and Germany.