The Late Crisis

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 127, 20 November 1911, Page 5

The Late Crisis

BRITAIN AND GERMANY WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. OFFICER'S REMARKABLE STATEMENT. WHY MR. CHURCH lIX WAS APPOINTED. By Oable—Press Association—Copyright Received 10. 5.5 p.m. London. November 10. Captain Fabcr. M.P.. made a remarkable speech at Andover (Hants), alleging that when the Moroccan situation ws acute the Cabinet was divided as to whether it would stick to France. Mr. Lloyd-George resolutely upheld adhesion to France. The situation revealed Britain's naval nnpreparedness. Hence Mr. Winston Churchill was appointed, and his subsequent conference with Lord Charles Beresford and the proposal for the creation of a war staff. When the pinch occurred the British fleet was divided. The first was in the South of Engand. the second in Ireland, and the third in Scotland. At that moment the Admiralty lost s'ght of the German fleet, and Cabinet "did not know what was going on, but was aware that Germany might attaclr the three fleets separately. The Admiralty in charge of one part of the fleet knew there was grave danger, and asked the officer commanding to land his forces if the fleet was safe aider the cover of the guns of the ports.

He replied that if the forts fired, the gtma would hit the fleet instead of covering it.

The Cabinet was wise enough to send Mr. Churchill, their best man, to the Admiralty in this emergency, and Mr. Churchill immediately wired to Admiral Sir John Fisher to return from Switzerland, and consulted with Lord Charles Beresford regarding a War Board, to see that there were no further mistakes respecting coal, and forts unable to protect the fleet.

During the late crisis, when the relations of France and Germany were strained, the idea was to send six divisions of regulars to help France, which would have left Britain defenceless, except for her navy.

Captain Faber's speech explains the withdrawal of Lord Charles Beresford's book two days after his interview with Mr. Churchill.

BRITISH FLEET ALERT.

COULD HAVE SMASHED GERMANS.

•- Received 20, 1 a.m. London, November 19. The Observer corrects Captain Faber in several particulars. It say* that' the - fleet divisions at Cromarty, Rosyth and in Channel were never out of touch with the German fleet's movements. It fldds that one division could have upheld it, as it consisted of fourteen ships, three only being Dreadnoughts, whilst another division could have smashed it. A SOCIALIST STATEMENT. Berlin. November 17. The Frankfort Times declares that the Radical contention that the relations of Germany were critical in September is not supported in wellinformed circles. Bernstein, the Socialist writer, states that Mr. Ramsay Macdonald informed him that Britain had sent Germany a friendly communication regarding Morocco, which was not answered. A fortnight later Britain repeated the enquiry, and Mr. Macdonald stated that the German answer was an insult. Thereupon followed Mr. Lloyd-George's speech.