Guarding the Seas

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 266, 2 April 1913, Page 5

Guarding the Seas

BRITAIN'S NAVAL POSITION. EFFECT OF THE COLONIAL HELP. BRITISH SHIP-BUILDING FACILITIES By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. Received 1, 9.30 p.m. ! London, April 1. j Mr. Winston Churchill, First Lord <of i the Admiralty, speaking the House of Common?, defended the Home Office's; • aviation regulations, which the Admir-' alty warmly welcomed. It was, he said, 1 : essential that aircraft should toe trader the Admiralty's direction. He rebutted the suggestion offered in ■ 1 Germany that he was asking for twelve j months' holiday on the part of Britain 1

J and Germany because there was congestion in British dockyards. It would be possible to commence four or five capital ships in 10115 in addition to the annual five and the gift ship Malaya, totalling ten or eleven complete vessels. The yards were able to build 24 in 30 months. There was no difficulty in manning all the vessels. There would be, he continued, no necessity for borrowing or fresh -taxation, as the money for the reduction of the National Debt far exceeded anything that was required. Britain, he said, was not taking such steps because they were not necessary. Having regard to the responsibilities of the Empire in the Pacific and the Mediterranean, it -was clear that the margin of strength available for the whole world service would not be sufficient afteT the first quarter of 1916, unless the Dominions or Britain took further steps. If the new development of the Mediterranean, Pacific or the Canadian ships miscarried, it would "be necessary to review the situation. Britain could build three ships herself, "but: the fact of Canada coming forward to testify to the enduring life of the Em- i pire had already produced an impression l throughout the world as valuable as many Dreadnoughts. It was, in fact,; immaterial whether the offer took the form of Mr. Borden's or Sir Wilfrid; Laurier's policy. ■ ALLEGED LACK OF MEN. London, March 31. Replying to Lord Charles Beresford's statement that the fleet was twenty thousand men short, and that, though able to build ships, Britain was unable to man them, Mr. Churchill declared that the statement was wholly untrue, and anyone making it deserved the censure of all right-minded people on both sides of the House.