BRITAIN'S NAVY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10557, 12 February 1912, Page 5

BRITAIN'S NAVY

THE FIRST LORD SPEAKS PLAINLY SUPREMACY MUST BE MAINTAINED. (.Received Last- Niglit, 0.0 o'clock.) LONDON, February 10. Mr Winston Church ill, First Lord •of the Admiralty, in it speech _ at Olasgow, declared that the British 'Navy's ships were superior to those -of any other.Power. The latest 13.5 is the finest weapon they hatf ever possessed. The Navy was in the highest state of preparedness. The ■rumours that they were not ready in ■l9ll were baseless. He honed that the creation of a War Staff would render such rumours impossible. The increase in tlie efficiency ot all brandies of the Navy was essentially for defensive purposes. Britain had not ■ dreamt of aggression, nor attributed such a thought to other Powers. •There was this difference between the German and English naval power: We could not menace a single Continental hamlet, however supremo our navy. England was great by reason of her navy, while Germany was great and honoured the world over be- - fore she possessed a single ship. The ■whole fortune of centuries of achievements of the British Empire would " be swept away if her naval suprem- : ' ;tey were impaired. The newspapers j ' had hinted at the prospects of a further European naval increase. That nvas serious, because, besides ' the growing size of everything connected 'with the/Navies, and. the increasing of their'cost, the nations of Europe were pressing each other into almost indefinite expansion and expense. We had met it, and ,hhcl facet! the situation with composure* because at every (point we had the matter well in hand. The country was never more united in its resolve to maintain its naval supremacy. The resources at the Chancellor's command were ample for all requirements. A considerable body of opinion favoured a siaval loan. Doubtless this would be easily obtainable, hut it would be ■sheer waste to build beyond the effective mastery of the seas. What ■was wanted was steady building, and no violent departure from the existing methods, or a capacious adoption of •great loans. It might he worthy of consideration whether they should adopt a naval programme extending over several years, instead of the present annual proposition. There was no chance of their being, overtaken at all "in strength. They could build faster and cheaper than any Power. •Tliey had no difficulty in recruiting, whatever might happen abroad. There was no whining here, and no cries for help or succour to face the future, as their ancestors did stolidly and inflexibly. "We shall be the first," said Mr Winston Churchill, "to welcome a slackening of rivalry and we should be met with j deeds, not words, but if the eompeti- j tion becomes acute, we shall increase the ratio of-our naval strength and make our margin of superiority Jar- j ger as the strain becomes" greater, ; and show the [Powers that instead of ■overtaking us, they will be out-dis- - tanced." Object of the speech. TO IMPRESS THE GERMANS. (Received Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.) LONDON, February 11. •Mr Winston Churchill's firm tone in Glasgow is interpreted as a desire to impress the Germans, in connection with Lord Haldane's visit, that Britain intends to maintain her present naval supremacy, and - does not seek a. mutual agreement under auy alleged financial or other pressure. Sir Edward Grey notified Franco and Russia, prior to the Berlin visit, that if Lord Haldane discussed political questions they would be kept informed.