THE WORLD'S NAVIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 343, 19 March 1910, Page 5

THE WORLD'S NAVIES.

i "OURS TO REMAIN SUPREME." MR McKENNA WANTS AN ASSURANCE. THE TWO-POWER STANDARD By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright i London, March 17. , The vote of £7,389,400 for wages in ; the Navy was agreed to. i Mr Lee, answering Mr Murray M'Donald, member for Falkirk, said • a two-Power standard was impossible I if friendly nations were excluded from • the computations, because others would [ expect to be excluded. ! Sir Charles Dilke discussed the treatment meted out to Mulliners, and declined to iniorm Mr M'Kenna whether he believed the allegations to be true. , Mr M'Kenna, after a sharp passage with Sir Charles Dilke, declared that [ the accusations against the Admiralty , were baseless. [Mulliners are a Coventry firm, who i complained that after warning the ! Admiralty in May, 1906, that Germany ; was accelerating its naval building ; operations they never received any further contracts from the Admiralty.] Replying to some Liberals regarding ' Great Britain's adhering to the right : of capture of an enemy's goods at sea, Mr M'Kenna stated that "if we deprive ourselves of the power of offence we shall still be compelled to maintain a supreme navy to protect ourselves against invasion, but if we were assured that in the event of our abandoning that right other countries would reduce their navies upon the understanding that ours was to remain supreme, the Government would be willing to consider proposals." itear-Admiral Bacon, speaking at the Institute of Naval architects, said that (the problem of torpedo-proof battleships had so far proved insoluble. The battle unit of the future would probably consist of single battleships with a- complement of torpedo boats of high sea-going speed as offensive and defensive satellites. Fighting would be in the shape of an aggregation of duels between these oattle units. A CORRECTION. Received March 18, 9.45 p.m. London, March 18. Mr. Duke, member for Exeter, and not Sir Charles Dilke, discussed the treatment of the Mulliner firms. PART OF THE MOTHERLANDS , NAVY. NEW ZEALAND'S AND AUSTRALIA'S , DREADNOUGHTS. Received March 18, 9.45 p.m. London, March 18. The House of Commons confirmed the vote for increasing the personnel of tlu Navy. Mr. Reginald McKenna (First Lord , of the Admiralty) said New Zealand's , cruisers would be an essential part of the Motherland's Navy, and be manned by the Motherland, except as far as New Zealand was able to supply men. Australia would man the Australian ships. The Home Navy was supplying those Australia was unable to furnish, ( but their pay would come from Aus- ■ tralia.