LORD BERESFORD AGAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 192, 12 February 1912, Page 8

LORD BERESFORD AGAIN.

ON THE WARPATH. THE SUMMER CRISIS. _ Lord Charles Beresford, M.P., speakJ3? a t.^ eiceßter recently, criticised Mr. Ohurchills reoonstitution of the Board of Admiralty, and characterised Ma action as a mad blunder; \ He declared that the fleet was not instantly ready during the crisis last summer. He was waiting for somebody in authority to get up in the House of Commons and say the fleet was instantly

He .believed that ff the country had actually got into danger last summer the miners and railwaymen to a man would have gone back to their work. But if they had, it would have been too late; their patriotism would have been useless.

w I its effect, and the first effect which went to prove that the fleet was not ready was that Mr McKenna was-somewhat tardily-trans-ferred to a sphere of utility less vital to national safety. There was during the crisis what was known m naval circles as Mr. McKenna's week-end wars. Mr. McKenna's grotesque antics during the late crisis led to his dismissal, and if the facts which led to his dismissal were generally known there would be considerable excitement in foreign countries. '

The change m the squadron and'fleet commands Lord Charles Bedford proceeded, had caused universal consternation in the Navy. First the members of the Board of Admiralty were dismissed with one week's notice. Domestic servants got longer than that. He thought thn country ought to know the reason i' nese instant dismissals. The ex- !•■: t.'on offered by Mr. Winston Chur- <■;< • was ridiculous, illogical and unsatk i tory; , 5 was childish to say that ■ the changes were made because the new intimates were going to be prepared. Referring to the new naval appointments and the selection of officers, Lord Charles said out of about eighteen officers that the First Lord had passed over-putting juniors before scniorsabout eleven were as good officers as we had m the whole service, and under these appointments the majority of them would never be able to serve their country again. ("Shame!") He was not finding fault with the junior officers who had been appointed: he was dealing only with the claims ot the seniors who had been passed over, not old officers, but men in the prime of life and with experience behind them, buch methods were monstrous, vicious and fatal to the efficiency of the service. Mr. Churchill had started badly with this mad blunder. The new First Lord, he thought, would want a great deal of watching. (Laughter). He could only make the Navy efficient by getting the War Staff he (Lord Charles) had so long recommended, and by dropping comparisons with other nations, which were so irritating. ,

I do not see why we cannot come to some agreement with Germany. But we can come to no agreement with Germany unless we state openly, honestly and fearlessly, not with any arrogance or assumption of dictation, 'but frankly and courteously, that we must keep command of the s,ea under any condition whatever."