IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 7, 9 June 1913, Page 5

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS.

FRESH LEGISLATION FORESHADOWED. B_>- -Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Ottawa, June 6. Mr. Borden announces that the Government intends to bring down further legislation providing for the acquire-

ment or construction of three battle-

ships as provided in the late Navybnl. >. Sir. Borden triumphantly pointed to Mir. Churchill's declaration of the necessity of now Dreadnoughts.. He regretted that a small section of the Lib- ■ ,eral parjiy haul overruled the: good sense of the majority to compel them to resist the country's voice.

. THE NAVAL PROGRAMME. V London, June 6. Several ; Unionist newspapers maintain that Mr. Churchill's acceleration ,of three Dreadnoughts is inadequate, and advocate starting in 1913 three additional for the spring of 1916. They 'argue, that Mr. Churchill's speech on Jlarch 31 Telied on the completion of the Canadian ships |o maintain the Whole-world protection of the Empire, at the end of 1915 or the beginning of •1916.

The Westminster Qazette says that the Canadian contribution is suspended. Mr. Churchill's acceleration .will give time for future adjustments ,wken Canada's decision is known.

POLITICAL DIFFERENCES,

i AN ACRIMONIOUS DISPUTE.

Received 8, 5.5 p.m. London, June 8.

Several newspapers comment approvingly on' Mr. Borden's offer to pay for the three new ships, which Britain will Bow lay down. The Pall Mall Gazette says that Mr. Bcrden expects/he patriotic feeling of the Canadians to be moved at being left without a share of the Empire's defence.

Sir Edward Clarke,. speaking at the Shipwrights' Company's dinner, sai<fj that because Canada for the moment ■was not prepared to supply three ships there was np cause for anxiety,. Englandhada great jeserve force in private yards, where •\vaj;sliips were always being constructed for other nations. In time of difficulty it would not be other nations Which would get these ships.

Ottawa, June 7.

Mr. Borden accused Sir Wilfrid Laurier of having packed the Senate with Liberals whom the people rejected for the House of Commons. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, in 1896, favored appointments to the Senate based on a representation of both parties throughout that period. Since then he had never made a single Conservative appointment. Mr. Borden asked if Sir Wilfrid Laurier knew better than the British Admiralty what the Empire required. Was he in the secrets of all the chancellors of the world? When the opportunity offered, Canada would tjike over the three Dreadnoughts now proposed to be built in England, pay their cost, and offer them to the King for the Empire's'defence. Sir W. Laurier denied influencing the Senate's action. He maintained that, despite the Admiralty's action, no real emergency existed. Mr. Mac Donald assorted that Mr. Borden's intention was to place Canada under the orders of Downing Street permanently.

BRITAIN'S AIR FLEET.

London. June (3.

In the Rouse of Commons, speaking in the armv debate. Colonel Seelv added that acrifil development was satisfactory. England had been freer from accidents than any country except France. A year ago England had practically 110 aeroplanes, pilots, flying school or flying machines, but she now possessed 120 aeroplnnes, 14(5 pilots, with an establishment for turning out seventy pilots annually. ; He admitted that the War Office had made a mistake involving a £12,500 loss over the Clement Rayard airship.