THE NAVAL CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 86, 7 May 1909, Page 4

THE NAVAL CRISIS.

LITTLE NAVYITES COLLAPSE. DEFEAT ACCEPTED. London. Ma roll 17. I Tlic collapse, of tin' Little-Navy Liberals who lnul put down amendments against the Government was one of the striking features of to-night, when th« uebate on the motion to go into Committee on the Savy votes for thirty-five millions was resumed. So dei']i was the impression made liy Mr. Asquith's declaration of the truth of the warnings of the "scaremongers'' that even Mr. A. 0. C. Harvey (Rochdale), who had the opportunity of moving his Small-Navy amendment, withdrew it amid a mocking roar of irony from the Unionists. Sir John Urunner (Norwich) was stirred to the depths, but did not question the Estimates. Mr. Arthur Lee (Hants. Farcham), formerly Civil Lord of the Admiralty in Mr. Balfour's Government, opened tonight's attack on the Government position. What the German Government had said about not expediting their programme, the Prime Minister had declared, was not a pledge, ft the German Government found it necessary to change tlivir mind we should have no ground of complaint. "T am sure this' country will receive with all respect the pledge, the Government have received," said Mr. Lvc. "Not a pledge," said Mr. Asquith. jumping; up. "A declaration of intention." -Does the Prime Minister say that it we had built these four Dreadnoughts which have been kept back they would have been unnecessary?"' asked Mr. Leo. '■! do." said the Prime Minister. '■Germany lias been building warships while we have liven babbling of Elysian fields ami dreaming of universal disarmament." said Mr. Lee. "Germany has slolen a march on us, a inarch which our most heroic exertions may be unable to catch up. PARSIMONY AXD VACILLATION'. "The Government have brought the country into this position bv their parsimony, procrastination, and vacillation, which have given legitimate encouragement to foreign nations to think that the time is ripe for transferring fhe trident from our own to other and more resolute hands. The Government have not given us complete safety, I trust they will •not be responsible for bringing us to absolute ruin. "The Government practically pleaded that they did not know what" Germany was doing. Why did they not know'/ It was their duty to know." .Mr. Asquith put up Dr. Macnamara to reply. "People must not talk as if we had 110 British Navy prior to the Dreadnought," exclaimed Dr. Macnamara. "We have forty first-class battleships which will „1111 be tinder twenty years of age in April, 1012. There are no other two nations in the world who have that." Sir John Brumier harangued the House more in sorrow than in anger. "Oiir foreign policy has been admirable," .he said, "and it is' nothing but sweet reasonableness to expect some happy result from that policy. It is a sight to make the gods weep that two great and reasonable nations should be discussing to-day which shall be ahead by a month or two in the building of an ironclad." "The Labor .party will oppose the Estimates by evorf means in their power,"' declared Mr. J. T. Macphers'on ((Preston) from the midst of the Socialistic group. SOCIALISTS AND ARMAMENTS. Mr. Arthur Henderson (Barnard Castle), chairman of the Socialist party, inveighed against the increase of armaments, and Mr. liellairs was about to speak when Mr. McKenna moved the closure, which was carried by ninetyfour. The Speaker then put the question that ly do leave the chair for the House to go into Committee of Supply on the Navy Estimates in detail. On this there voted— E«r the motion .. .. 322 Against gj Majority .. .. 230 At question-time Mr. E. A. Kidsdalc (Brighton) drew s'oine interesting information from Mr. McKenna reau'd'ui" the number ~f slips in the shipbuilding yard- 01 this country on which Dreadnought- could be built. Mr. McKenna said: "The number of such slip s in the United Kingdom is seventeen, including two belonging to linns which have not yet undertaken the construction of large warships. Two more could also b c made available in Government yards n inl several others in private yards, when due notice was given to the firms concerned."—Express. j