NAVAL DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9139, 15 July 1908, Page 5

NAVAL DEFENCE.

THE COMMONWEALTH SCHEME,

Received July 14, 10.12 p.m. LONDON, July 14. In the House of Commons the Hon. R. McKenna, in reply to Mr W. Redmond, said that it was quite natural that the Commonwealth should wish to have its own scheme of naval defence. The Government were perfectly willing to assist the Commonwealth in devising a scheme. What Australia now proposed was a mere outline upon which no action could be taken. The scheme required very considerable development and modification before it became practicable. A communication had been addressed to the Commonwealth Government stating that the Commonwealth scheme was being inquired into. The Admitalty was seeking to construct the best scheme in Mr Deakin'a fullest sense. Itjwas under the Admiralty's consideration, and the Admiralty hoped if it was not possible to frame a scheme of their own to amplify the scheme proposed, and then come to an arrangement with the Commonwealth. But delay in the circumstances was essential. No alternative scheme had been put forward, because the Admiralty were quite content to adhere to the present arrangement, but were anxious to help the Commonwealth, and were now endeavouring to do so by constructing a scheme on the outlines which had been suggested.

THE SHIPBUILDING VOTE-

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Received July 14, 9.56 p.m. LONDON, July 14. In the House of Commons the shipbuilding vote was agreed to in Committee' of Supply after a debate largely concerning the inevitable increase in expenditure in the future. Mr A. C. Lee, Conservative M.P. for Hants, warned the Government that if it failed to fulfil the pledge given in March las-t, the country would show them that it would stand no trifling with the Navy. The ~Hcn. R. McKenna, in reply, did not carry the question beyond the Hon. H. H. Asquith's declaration made in March. He argued that we would by 1911 have eight Dreadnoughts and four new big cruisers, as compared with Germany's seven Dreadnoughts and two Invincibles. He admitted that the preponderance was insufficient if we had nothing else to rely upon, but our superiority in battleships of the Dreadnought type was iucontestible. He promised that if the Admiralty were satisfied that new ships should be laid down exceptionally early in 1909, their plans were ready.