THE BRITISH NAVY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9671, 20 December 1909, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

A VIGOROUS SPEECH. ADMIRALTY MISTAKES. WARNING NEGLECTED. United Press Association-By Electric Telegraph Copyright, LONDON, December 17. Admiral Lord Charles tferesford, speaking at Hull, said that Mulliners, a Coventry firm, infarmed the Admiralty in May, 1906 of Germany's accelerated shipbuilding, since which date the firm had never received an Admiralty order. The Navy, added Lord Charles, was at present sixteen thousand short in its personnel. He condemned the short-service system and the reduction in the Coastguards. If things do not improve, continued the speaker, he was prepared to take the risk of offending under the Official Secrets Act. During the last four years those in authority in the Navy had pursued a policy of evasion, prevarication, and sometimes absolute falsehood in regard to the strength of the fleet. • "So long as we were wardens of the seas nobody assailed our supremacy," said the Admiral, "but directly we became a bully of the seas the case was different. We built a Dreadnought and held it up to the world, particularly to Germany, saying: 'Look; with this we can sink your whole fleet!' Advertisilg our Dreadnought had placed us in our present position. Germany was now spending more money on constructiun than ourselves, and building ships faster."

I THE NAVAL SITUATION. I GRAVER THAN EVER. Received December 19, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, December 18. Mulliners, in a letter to the newspapers, details his firm's treatment by the Admiralty. A series of interviews with the Cabinet Ministers and members of the Defence Council last February resulted in the Goevrnment accepting his conclu ions regarding the danger of Germany's 'preparations, which were forwarded to the Admiralty on May 19th. He declares that the present naval situa- , tion is graver than ever.