THE BRITISH NAVY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 167, 24 October 1910, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

THE DIFFERENCES IN THE CABINET A DISAGREEABLE IMPRESSION. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 23, 5.5 p.m. London, October 22. The Chronicle's Parliamentary correspondent states that Mr. Winston Churchill's letter, following the report of the Hon. Lloyd-George's interview in the Review of Reviews, has created a very disagreeable impression in political circles. Mr. Asquith, however, is almost inflexible in the matter of the proposed naval loan. It is unfortunate that the differences existing in the Cabinet at this juncture should be revealed the public, for it gives an excuse for saying that Cabinet is divided on this important matter.

SPEECH BY LORD CURZON. THE NATIONAL SAFETY PARAMOUNT. REPORTED GERMAN CONFUSION. Received 23, 5.5 p.m. London, October 22. Lord Curzon, speaking at Hanley, said they saw a country not content with being the greatest military Power on the Continent, but aspired to become the greatest naval Power. Britain did not desire to quarrel with Germany. He believed the English were sincere in their regard for the Germans, but nations on the march of greatness were apt to find war inevitable as a stepping-stone to higher things. All political cries dwindled to insignificance when compared with the national safety. The naval correspondent of the Times states that Germany has not begun her four 1910 Dreadnoughts, owing to Great Britain commencing 13y 2 -inch guns while Germany had 1 just begun to use 12-inch. The discovery blocked the Germany shipbuilding. Similarly, after the first British Dreadnought, the correspondent adds, when Germany secured the plans of the Dreadnoughts she laid down eight with the British original defects not corrected. Hence Britain was always ahead.

In dealing with protection and armaments the Chancellor said, in the course of an interview with the Review of Reviews: "In the grammar of ruin, then arc three degrees —Positive, protection; comparative, armaments; superlative, war." He showed that nations made war .for markets,-desiring to close the mar kets of rivals, and went on to say: "1 am roundly abused for raising tweritv sterling bv extra taction. T want this money for social reform, old aae nensions and labor exchanges: Hall of this extra taxation went in armaments." Mr. Llovd-George said that the Dreadnoughts were necessary bui the necessity artificial. "The remedv,' he said, "is international and by international agreement only can the headlong race to ruin be arrested."

Mr. Winston Churchill, writing to a correspondent, said he was certainly unprepared to say that under no circumstances should Britain have recourse to a naval loan. The present high expense was largely due to special and peculiar circumstances, some of which were not permanent. Others need not be expected to recur, except at long intervals. The excentional Estimates were no reason for delay in providing national insurance against unemployment, invalidity, and making provision for widows and orphans. The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. R. McKenna), in a speech last week, recalled the fact that there had been a requisition for a hundred millions loan signed by generals and admirals. The loan would be but si temporary expedient. Britain would have to maintain a navy as the first in the world for all time. The first sign of decadence would be when the navy was not paid for out of annual revenue and the country had to rely upon borrowed money.