MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1919, Page 7

MOTHER COUNTRY.

NAVAL DEFECTS. ADMIRAL JELEI'COE'S BOOK. London, Feb. 14. There are many complaints in service circles of Lord Jellicoe's catalogue of Admiralty deficiencies. It is pointed out that Admiral Jellicie was Director of Naval Ordnance between 1905 and 1907 and the ammunition could not have become bad after he vacated his appointment. His reference to the bursting of German shells indicates an improvement between the Bight battle and Jutland. It is characteristic of the Germans to improve their material after experience. A large body of opinion in the fleet was opposed to the use of searchlights as they revealed the positions of the ships. Admiral Jellicoe complains of the quality of the searchlights. He could have secured star shells if he had asked tor them and similarly could have had the submarines equipped with wireless. He might also have foreseen, while Controller of the Navy in 1908-10, the defects which resulted in the loss of the Indefatigable and Queen Mary. Admiral Jellicoe as Second Sea Lord in 1912-14 could have remedied the defencelessness of Scapa Flow and could also have made any demands upon the Admiralty when he assumed the command. The German accuracy of fire at Jutland was probably due to exceptional training in marksmanship. Their lire control was also less complicated than that of the British—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FOOD PRICES. AGITATION FOR REDUCTION. London, Feb. 13. There is a growing demand for the reduction of food prices. The Food Controller possesses large supplies of bacon, tea and meat purchased in expectation of the war continuing during 1919. Traders declare the prices are much above the market value. The Treasury oppos'es the reduction as entailing aUoss v of several millions. The Food Controller is pressing the War Cabinet to overrule the Treasury.