EMPIRE DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3140, 18 March 1909, Page 5

EMPIRE DEFENCE.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyriio:*.

THE NAVAL ESTIMATES. AN IMPORTANT DEBATE. ENGLAND AWAKENING. Received March 17, 9.45 p.m. LONDON,<March 17. The House of Commons was crowded yesterday, on the occasion of the Hon. R. McKenna (First Lord of the Admiralty) introducing the Naval Estimates. The disquieting effect which Mr Balfour's detached non-Party criticisms have had, and Mr Asquith's grave admissions, intensified by the attitude of the majority of the Reduction of Armaments Committee and the Labour Party, have shaken the resolve of members to vote against the increase in the Estimates. Mr McKenna admitted that the Estimates required the strongest justification from a Government pledged to peace, retrenchment, and reform, but the limits of the JtJritish Navy were fixed by other Powers. Germany was so hastening her shipbuilding that thirteen Dreadnoughts instead of nine would be completed in ISII. Britain would then have sixteen, but it was possible that Germany would complete four more by April, 1912. It was necessary for Britain to order guns and armour to enable her to complete four extra Dreadnoughts by March, 1912. Mr McKenna, continuing, said that in 1907 there were only two ships in the German Navy that were Dreadnoughts. Now there were fourteen, ar.d three more were in the course of construction. Moreover, Krupp's and other firms were how able to supply the component parts of eight battleships in.a single yesr, and the resources of British firms were taxed to retain supremacy in rapidity and volume of construction. In case of war it would be impossible to recall cruisers from foreign service, they being necessary to keep open the highways of the sea. The life of the King Edward VII. and Formidable types of vessels had bf«n shortened,, though they were not obsolete. Mr A. J. Balfour emphasised the fact that Germany laid down eight Dreadnoughts in 1908, and quoted the Minister of Marine's statement in the Reichsteg—"we can build as fast as the English." Assuming this to be true, in December, 1910, Britain would have ten Dreadnoughts and Germany thirteen. In July, 1911. Britain would have fourteen and Germany seventeen. Mr Balfour, continuing, said that for the first time in modern history Britain was facing a situation so new and dangerous that it was difficult to realise all its import. "Bordering our waters," said Mr Balfour, "was a Power with the capacity and will to compete with our navy, and the Government's programme is utterly insufficient.' - He asked the House to adopt a resolution not for a two-Power standard, which was beyond the question, but for a one-Power "standard in ships of the firstolass, which seemed to be slipping from our grasp. Mr Asquith, in replying, admitted the hypotheses upon which the last naval programme had been based. It had baen falsified by events. The Government were greatly surprised in November last to learn that Germany was hastening the construction of four Dreadnoughts. It was now untrue that Germany v, ould take thirty months to build a ship where Britain had taken twenty-four. There had been such an enormous developments slips for shipping in Germany, and provision for gun mountings, turrets and armaments, that Britain no longer held the advantage. Mr Asquith, continuing, stated that Germany had given an explicite and most distinct declaration that she does not intend to further accelerate her naval programme. Though this was not a pledge in the sense of an agreement, and it was impossible to put it before Parliament. The Government's programme was based upon the assumption that the declaration would not be carried out. ' There was no possibility of an arrangement with Germany for a mutual reduction. Efforts in that direction had been made and failed. "If Germany accelerates her building we have time during the year to make the neces sary provision for meeting this." Replying to Mr Balfour, Mr McKenna stated that he believed that only material and armaments had been collected for two of the four Dreadnoughts, the construction of which it was proposed to hasten.