"THE BETRAYAL."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 181, 30 January 1912, Page 5

"THE BETRAYAL."

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NAVY. LORD BERESFORD'S INDICTMENT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 29, 11 p.m. London, January 29. Lord Beresford has issued a pamphlet regarding his book, "The Betrayal," the publication of which was suspended last autumn. He states that the Admiralty policy from 1902 to 1911 wap a series of disastrous mistakes. The personnel of the Navy was starved, the efficiency of the training impaired, and the coaling and repairing stations in the overseas dominions were dismantled. "The present condition of the trade routes," lie states, "is a national danger. In. 1903 there were sixty small cruisers on foreign stations. Now there are only twenty-three, despite the fact that privateering, which was abolished under the Declaration of Paris, has been insidiously revived by the Peace Conference of 1507. The seaborne trade is now open to sudden' and secretly organised attacks concducted by merchant vessels which a few hours previously might be sheltering in neutral harbors as noncombatants, and a few hours later may repair in the same harbors and take supplies before embarking on fresh adven turea. , "It is often forgotten that heavy armored ships depend for their utility upon complementary units." He added that a war staff was essential to the proper organisation of the fleet.