THE BRITISH AND GERMAN NAVIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 96, 13 October 1911, Page 4

THE BRITISH AND GERMAN NAVIES.

In seeking to arrive at a true estimate of the comparative strength of the British and Clerman destroyer flotillas, Mr. MjcKenna's recent statements in the House of Commons, says a London, paper, are most helpful. He. was, for instance, compelled to admit that, whereas in the seven years from 1804 to 10.00, inclusive, Great Britain launched Iflfl destroyers to Germany's 11. the figures for the seven years from MO4 fo 11)10 were, for Great Britain .68, and for Germany 67, the latter figure excluding four vessels recently sold to Turkey, which will doubtless he replaced by faster and more powerful craft. In these seven years, therefore. Germany's output of destroyers was actually greater than our own, in spite of the fact that the North Sea is universally held to be particularly suited to torpedo warfare, and in spite also of the fact that in his memorable invasion memorandum the First -Sea Lord, Sir Arthur Wilson, based his optimistic oullook very largely upon our superior destroyer strength. That we possess a superiority is indeed patent from tih n ollicial papers; but it is equally apparent that that superiority is wholly dependent upon obsolescent craft which are already being removed from the effective list in considerable batches. In answer to another question, the First Lord announced that the number of destroyers provided for in British and German programmes from 1901-2 to 1010-11, inclusive, was 132 and DO respectively. The accuracy of the German figure is not questioned, but the results would have been interesting if some wellinformed member had challenged the British total. The number of destroyers *ttually provided for and voted by Parliament in these ten years was 120; but the Admiralty in its wisdom cancelled the whole of the 14 voted in 1004-5, and three of the live voted in 1'.106-7, so that the number actually laid down was not Ki2, as stated by Mr. McKenna, or even 120, as voted by the House of Commons, but only 103. that is to say, in 10 years we laid down only 13 destroyers more than Germany . It is true that in the same period four "replace" vessels were purchased as substitutes for others lost at sea; but. as the total lost in the 10 years was nine, wo were still five behiind on balance. Another point that has to

bo taken into consideration in this connection is that of the respective totals 40 German and only 18 British boats have a designed speed of 11.0 knots or more. Such unvarnished facts as these are incontrovertible testimony to the manlier in which our naval supremacy has been allowed to dwindle away in one of the most important of its departments. I