SEA SUPREMACY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 157, 28 July 1909, Page 2

SEA SUPREMACY

BRITAIN'S iOBSOLUTIOX ' FOUR EXTRA DREAllXOO'tiiiici, TO BE PUT IN HAND AT ONCE. FAILURE OF INTKRNATIUNAL ARRANGEMENT. APPRECIATION OF THE COLONIAL OFFERS. OPPOSITION VOTE WITH THE GOVERNMENT. By Gable.—Press Association.—Copyright Received July 27. 104 p.m. London, July 27, In the House of Commons, in Cuminittee of Supply on the ahipbuilufflg vote, Mr. Reginald MoKenna (Mhiiter for War) announced that after a very' anxious and careful examination of tha conditions of shipbuilding in foreign countries, the Government hail conclude! that it was desirable to take all necessary steps to lay down the four, cu<itingent Dreadnoughts by April, 1010. They would be completed by March, 1912. The announcement was received *i;ti cheers. Received July 27, 11.10 p.m. ! London, July 27. Mr. McKenna, continuing, said th t the Admiralty had no# decided i.iat one of the November programme thin instead of a battleships should be au improved cruiser, with a view to tht need of cruisers able to outrun or capture the enemy's vessels. He added that it was possible to build cruUen faster and more powerful than those of the Invincible type. Mr. Dillon asked whether' the Germans had anticipated the programme and kept the understanding given to ' the Foreign Office. Mr. McKenna did not think furtie/

comparison in respect to shipbuilding programmes was desirable, but #» mnlit say that Britain in 1906 expressed ner earnest desire to restrict the' rapid growth of armaments of this and other countries. No individual country could stand out by iteeif and restrict .it* armaments. Britain gave the lead in that direction, and laid down eight largo armoured ships during the past three years, during which Germany laid down eleven. It was impossible to continw on the same lines, and, failing an inter national arrangement, Britain WM hound to take 'all the necessary steps to secure her predominance on the m, not only now but in the lara*. (Cheers.) He strongly urged the ean» laying down of the contingent Dreadnoughts. Mr. J. E. Ellis moved a redaction of the vote, and declared the navy Kin was a dead letter and that they ought to come to an agreement with'the otnef Powers. *

The Premier (Mr. H. H. Asqulth) emphasised tlmt while Mr. Balfour mm M lind compared shipbuilding programme", they did bo witlvout any idea or tuggi"tion as to any indication of an impending conflict with Germany. On the coa-. trary, he and Mr. Balfour were ntoU careful to say that there waa not Miy cause for quarrel anywhere in the world between them, and if. diplomacy wen conducted, as he believed it woulu be, with mutual consideration, there m not a reason why such a difference | should arise.

Mr. Asquith continued that the Government hod strenuously endeavored to reach international accommodation, but. the other nations were in no mood for this. The Government had failed, (rat the door was still open. Meanwlp'g they must deal with facta. Be challenged objectors to say how they could settle the shipbuilding programme irrespective of what others were doing. It was the Government's unanimous judgment to ' lay down four contmgc'it Dreadnoughts in April, and meanwhi',9 to order the gun mountings and other accessories. He explained that these four were without grejudice to the 1910 programme, and were unconnected with tho offers of the Dreadnoughts.'by the ' colonies.

He added: "We have all recognised) and acknowledged with the utmoit gratitude, the generosity and the loyalty prompting, the offers, also the dUpotition the colonies have shown to Mcommodate the form their often shall . take to the real requirements of ths Imperial navy and the situation generally. .We are confident that the defenca conference will reach a result aatlmotory all round." , Mr. Bnlfiour criticised the,tardiness in laying down the four extra. Dreadnoughts, and denounced the Ministerial r plan as utterly inadequate, but later, ■ after Messrs. Dillon, Barnes, Murray an 1 McDonald had'supported the reduction • of the vote, Mr. Balfour announced that lie was voting with the Government. Hj had learnt that the number of those dhsenting from the Government policy was very large, and lie did not think it right to allow the impression to get abroad that the House of Commons was doubtful regarding the decision to undertake further shipbuilding.. (Loud cheers.) The motion for tile reduction of the vote was rejected by 280 to 98. Received July 28, 12,30 a,m.' London, July 27. Twenty-five Liberals vo„ted for Mr. Ellis's motion, The rest of the minority consisted 'of Nationalists and Laboritet. ■

THE COMING CONFERENCE. SIR JOSEPH WARD INTERVIEWED.

Received July . 28.12.5 ajn. " c . ' July Sir Joseph Ward (Premier of *f»w «aland) remarked in the course of aa interview that ho considered the Defence Conference was of far greater impoi'tuneo, from the standpoint of the Empire, than cither of the two previous Imperial Conferences, He did not wish to undervalue oi 1 underrate tie work of the Premiers' Conferences, A number of subjects were dealt with, especially «y the last conference, but not much of a, practical nature was achieved. The subject of this Conference would etanf out far beyond anything previously accomplished. He looked for practical suits. He emphasised the unanimity of »I! e Zc ' <l ' nntl Parliament regarding the Dreadnought offer, and added: "We all realise that the supremacy of ihj eea. from the British standpoint it .aa absolute necessity, «nd the future safety of the Empire depends very largely, if not entirely, upon the undoubted supremacy of the navy itself."

PROGRAMME OK ITALY AND AUSTRIA. >

Received July 27, 10.5 p.m. In, , . Rome. July 27. . luuy ana-Austria hare now declared J«r a definite programme, consisting ot four large armoured ships of the latest type in each ease. One of these h*i already been laid down by Austria, and 11 -ipcond will be laid down immediately. Jhe remaining two will be laid down Inter in the present year. I'll connection with Austria's progra nnie two ships have been ordered, a nil a floating dock is under construction.