The Daily News. THE NAVAL QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 179, 28 January 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. THE NAVAL QUESTION.

There seems, unfortunately, to ]>e no room for doubt that the British Cabinet is not by any means unanimous oi. the question of naval construction, but one fact is certain, and that is the support which the -Unionist Party will give to -Mr. Churchill's policy. The policy which has been adhered to in the past ' in relation to the strength of the Imperial Navy as compared with the fleet.-* of the other Powers is so well known that if needs no reiteration. The safety of the Empire and the protection, of its vast commerce, shipping, anil food supplies is of supremo importance, and under no consideration is it either advisable or politic to swerve one iota from a course which is not only necessary, but imperative. ' The existing trouble, has been brought about by Mr. Lloyd George's desire, to divert a considerable amount of the vast expenditure now devoted to armaments into the (to him) moro important work of domestic and land, reforms, in which b.; is now so deeply immersed. It would seem to be quite beyond the range of practicability that the majoiity of the members of the Cabinet should side with the Chancellor of the Exchequer as against the First Lord of the Admiralty, and it is beyond all question that should they do so their tenure of office would be brought to an end. Where the Navy is concerned the people of the Homeland, equally with those in the overseas dominions, resent any compromise, or even tampering with the policy which has proved so effective in the past. A phase of the question is ] the growing desire of the dominions to take part in the administration of the Imperial Navy, the latest indication in this .direction being the suggeston, which has come from South Africa, voiced by the Cape Argus, in favor of convening an Empire Conference on the matter, The Spectator, in a recent issue, quoteH some lively condemnations by; the Radical Press of Mr. Churchill's programme. It applauds "the belated revival of a desire for economy in the Liberal Party," tout not the direction it has taken, and it has no fear that the Little Navyites will get their way. "All sensible people know that it is useless to build up a well-ordered and comfortable, home if you leave all that it contains unguarded and exposed to the envy of passers-by." This is, in a nutshell, the argument for defence expenditure in J every country. The Spectator makes i j clear why the Radical journals may cry out against expenditure on Dreadi noughts, but cannot cause their opinions to prevail. "Whenever a Liberal Government," it says, "have been liavd pressed bv the Little Navyites they have always had the support of tho Unionists. They remember this perfectly well, and they know that they can always depend upon that support in future. If Mr. Churchill were the head of any department but tho Admiralty, the attacks on him would lie very insignificant indeed. As it is they have no significance. Mr. Churchill is on velvet." Even those who keenly follow events in tho Homeland are at a disadvantage in rightly estimating their trend awl effect. Sir William HailJones Is not in that position, for he has, comparatively recently, had exceptional opportunities of studying the question of naval defence at first hand, and, as lie is a careful observer, his opinions are entitled to some weight. Speaking at Tinmru last week, Sir William said that in any case New Zealand's ships would be simply part of the Imperial Navy, to be used whereyer they were required. No other course is practically possible, but' the qucstiop is whether the ships provided by the dominions shall be taken as part, of tho fleet strength which has been settled i* the necessary quota. If the dominions insist that their ships shall be stationed in tlie vicinity of their own coasts, then they certainly cannot lw reckoned as part of the Imperial Navy. The Timaru Tost points out that in the event of a German descent on the lliitisli in the North Sea the Dominion's ships would be out of it. The trouble would he over and the fate of the Lmpire decided before the ships oil this side of the world could be anywhere near the sceen of action. It seems t the Dominion can help the Motherland with men and money. It would be no help at all to maintain a fleet of more or less obsolete vessels in New Zealand waters. This is one of the factors in the. present naval crisis, and although it may not directly affect, the decision arrived at by the British' On' Tiiment, its importance cannot be ignored.