GERMAN NAVAL POLICY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 51, 25 March 1909, Page 2

GERMAN NAVAL POLICY

THE KItUPP MONOPOLY. Berlin, March 'l'd. Admiral von Tirpitz, Minister for tlm Navy, spoke in the Jteichstag defending the Krupp monopoly. He claims that the naval administration in seven years secured a reduction of 30 per cent, in the prices of armor plates.

BRITAIN'S ARMAMENT LIMITING PROPOSALS. STATEMENT IN THE REICHSTAG. A FRIENDLY ATTITUDE. PROGRAMME NOT TO ))E ACCELERATED.

Received 21, 0.40 p.m. Berlin, March 24.

" llerr von Schovn, Secretary of State for Foreign All'airs, addressing the Budget Committee of the Reichstag on behalf of Prince Billow, said the British Government hail intimated in a general way its readiness to come to an understanding regarding extending the cost of the naval programme, but no ionnal proposal had been made, and nothing put forward which could form the basis of negotiations, in intercourse between friendly Governments, it was customary to avoid presenting formal proposals the consideration whereof appeared doubtful. For that reason, probably, \ Britain avoided addressing a formal proposal. Germany, therefore, was not called on to take up a position towards such a proposal. Prince Bulow had get forth the grounds of Germany's attitude respecting limitation of armaments in the Keichbtag on 10th December.

Hcrr von Schoen added that Germany's fleet would be measured by her needs. It implied 110 threat against other nations. Von ScUoen coutiuued that he heartily concurred in the confid-

ent hope expressed by the entire coi mittee that the relations between Bi tain and Germauy would develop fu

ther in the direction of irieudship, which, lie remarked, was the sincere ] wish of the whole German people and tile German Government. The committee voted the iinal instalments for warships completing in I'JO'J, and the first instalment* on three Dreadnoughts (whereof it is officially stated two have already been laid down}, an armored cruiser of the Inviit type, and two small cruis.ers. The Kreuz Zeitung states tenders for two other warships under the IUOSJ-I'JIO .programme will not be invited until the autumn, thus the time gained on tihe other two ships will lie compensated for, and, there will be no acceleration or development of the fleet beyond the times set down in the programme.

Speaking in the lleiehstag on December 10th last, and replying to the criticism of llerr llaussnian and others, l'rince Bulow denied, that any proposal respecting the limitation of naval armaments had been, made to Germany. He disclaimed a wish to dismiss the possibility of limitation off-hand, but emphasised the practical obstacles that existed. Even if it were possible to calculate the existing interests of the world's seas, how, he asked, could they separate the justifiable and unjustifiable aspirations? How measure the growth of interests and economic ambitions? How forecast technical inventions anil their consequences? He proceeded to ileal with Germany's geographical position and with the permanency oi making her safety dependent on the army. He argued that the sacrifices for the army and for their social policy—which, lie said, was in, advance of that of other countries—constituted with Germany's limited resources, a guarantee against owr-ste'pping the limit of naval construction. The limit would be prescribed by the necessities of defence and the protection of trade, and fixed by law accordingly.