CRISIS IN BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 115, 4 November 1911, Page 6

CRISIS IN BRITAIN.

DURING FRANCO-GERMAN DISPUTE. Sir John Quick, M.H.R., who passed through Frcmantle in the R.M.S. Otway, seems to have been greatly impressed with the danger of war to Britain at an acute stage of the Franco-German dispute over Morocco. Sir John says ho was informed that one Imperial Minister with the heads of departments called a conference with the managers of the railway terminals in the seaports, and informed them that England was never so near war as then. Spies were all over the land, and there might be some attempt to tamper with the naval docks; it was also suspected that attempts would bo made to blow up certain tunnels and bridges. The railway people must take the utmost precaution in guarding them. The Admiralty would pay for the expense of these precautions.' Consequently all outlets were guarded by armed sentries. In addition, 50,000 tons of coal were brought up from Cardiff by train for the fleet, and all leave of absence to the naval and military forces was withdrawn. These facts go to show what a critical juncture had occurred. All this had leaked out since, but it was not known at the time.