ESPIONAGE IN THE NAVY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 166, 30 November 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

ESPIONAGE IN THE NAVY

LORD C. BERESFORD'S CHARGES. A STARTLING LETTER. In a letter to the Onlooker Lord Charles Beresford makes startling revelations as to the weakness of the Navy, and mentions that owing to the revival of the odious system of espionage an admiral, lately subjected to that system, resigned his position. In the course of this outspoken document, Lord Charles Beresford declares that the Government has fooled the people. He says: "The First Lord of the Admiralty stated 011 July 22 last that we shall have in 11)14 instantly ready 33 battleships to Germany's 2D—a preposterously small margin of four. The margin in other units of the fleet is even less in our favor, and, be it remembered, that battleships are ineffective unless all fleet units are complete. The First Lord of the Admiralty has pointed out that war will occur at an enemy's 'selected moment' when we shall be found at our 'average moment.' This renders uur position far more dangerous. But even if we passed a Navy Act in order to lay down a lleet necessary for our Imperial needs, we have not the. men to man it, and cannot get them in time to tide over the danger period from now to 11)15. The whole of the false economies practised from 1904 were made with the object of reducing the personnel. We are 5000 men short of ro quirements now, and 20,000 short for future necessities. Our great danger is shortage of men, and its gravity quiuot be exaggerated. We are short of ships and men, and we can supply neither in time to covin' the danger period. The people; have been so successfully fooled and bewildered that they actually do not believe what they see. They kiiow that 011 March 21 iast the First Lord of tlm Admiralty stated that we were only 240 men short of personnel; that on .July 23 last he stated we were 2000 short. * If he had told the truth he would have said 5000. The men cannot be obtained. Frantic efforts are being made. How are the ships due to commission in the. next six or eight months to be manner? The Admiralty are inviting men due for pension and short-service mil to join for another term. It is unli-*«ly that there will bo much response The first-term men are not rejoiv'.ig, adding to the shortage. The men are dissastislied owing to unfair treatment as to pay. kit and leave. Officers are also dissatisfied. Lieutenants leave the service whenever an opportunity occurs. The odious system of espionage is revived. All admiral lately subjected to espionage resigned his position. The people know that the trade routes -ire unguarded. They know that many of our naval bases were dismantled, and the rest reduced both in garrison and armament. They according to the First Lord's own statement, that wc are barely at one-Power standard at an enemy's selected moment. They know that we have'called in our outposts from all seas—the first sign of a decaying empire. They know that the Mediterranean is evacuated, and that 60 per cent, of our foodstuffs is left unguarded. It ;s incredible that with these facts being within public knowledge that the people are still being fooled. We are now going to embark upon another enterprise. Tt will 'oe accompanied by the same class of advertisement as that which accompanied the advent of the Dreadnought. We are to have oil fuel for the Xavy, and still we are told, if this becomes a fact, that it will reduce the number of men in the engine-room departments. That would be true if oil were introduced in, lieu of coal, but in the former case we have no command of the supply, and we should add to th(. appalling danger of the. fuel for our men of war being unprotected on its passagt to this country. Oil fuel has many advantages, but advantages disappear if the supply is cut off in time of war. It is suggested that we can extricate ourselves from our present dangerous position by assistance from the dominions or by forming the present Triple Entente into an offensive and defensive alliance. Both of these proposals would be too late to tide us over the danger period. I again repeat that all that can be done immediately to meet the dangers that thinking people see imminent is to—1. Make provision for the storage of our food supplies.

2. Arm a selected number of our merchant ships. 3. Increase the garrisons at Malta, Gibraltar and in Egypt. 4. Increase the number of ships in commission. 5. Enter men by every possible means.

"The Opposition have not discharged their responsibilities during the last few years on the matter of calling public attention to our dangerous position with regard to defence. They are not discharging them now. Are they afraid of being accused of party action ? The fate of the Empire is above party considerations. Can any failure be more complete than the Government's administration of our defensive forces—an administration which may lead to the fall of the Empire?"