BRITAIN'S DEFENCE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10679, 27 July 1912, Page 5

BRITAIN'S DEFENCE

CABLE NEWS

(United Press Association —By Electric Tdegraph—Copyright)

SPEECH BY m ASQUITH ENGLAND'S PEACEFUL AIMS. (Received Last Xight, 10.5 o'clock.) LONDON, Joily 26. In tlie House of UommaniSj speaking in the Defence Committee on the estimates, tlie (Bight Hon. H. H. Aequifclx indicated tibat valuable work 'had ben a,ccomp]|ili'sed by the various su'b-oom-mlittees, ipartieulairlly in the direction of the co-ordination of the various departments in war time. He referred to the significant and mcimontous occasion, when tho overseas representatives were admitted to tlie Committee's confidence. Juiterinvtional relations, lie eflid, were most friendly, and ; Kpeoial friendships had stood ,the test of time. He ooukl say deliberately tQiat no cause existed for quarrelling with any nation. "Our re.ations with Germany," he said, "are imarked ,wdth aimity and goodwill. Conversations initiated by Lord 'Haldane Iliad due en tinned in. a spirit of franikness on ibotli sides." He regretted the lainent'aJble increase in, "•aiimo/nieiirte. AM Pfcnveirs, knew tL..t Britain iiad no (aggressive purpose, and coveted; no heritage. Tliere was 110 inclinbtuon to extend the range of lier responsibilities. ■ Her present expenditure was simply an insurance of world-wide inter > Mir Bpnar Law, Leader of the Opposition, said that he mistrusted the 'Admiralty owing to their vaccilutio-n in dealing with the' Mediterranean position. Tlie margin, of superiority, lie said, was too narrow. He feared that there had been some bind of a Cabineu compromise, Sir Edward Oi ey gaid that none of the d'tcisions of the Defence Cbmmiifc•ieos had been over-ruled by the Government. He informed the Liberal malcontents, who blamed the foreign, policy for the armament®, that if they reverted to spfeiidf 1 osokitiotn., they would (inorea'o the diplomatic friction, and it might Jbe necessary to enormious'ly increase the. naval fcti'engttih. He iniviMl the advocatesfcf limitation of armiimehts to shy whbther the /basis for agreement wpiukl be tlie British fleet's superiority or its inferiority. The Times saye tihat the compromise Mr Boniar Law mentioned takes the form of refusing more tlian a rtU'.'l'Jion of the fctfirphis to the navy as a set-off to the a-eftusal to allot one or two millions to tlie Insurance Bill.

j CANADA'S CONTRIBUTION. I £6,000,000 FOE. MffiADIXOUuHTS. I (Received Last Night, 10,23 o'clock.) LO'XDOX, July 26. The DtuLly Mail ,states that the Hon SRi. L. Bcii'dten and his ciolleagues are prepared to (recommend a contribution .of £6,(XX),000 ifcr the conl s't-ruefcion of Dreadnoughts-.

MARGIN OF SUPERIORITY.

WHITTLED BT? MIH CHURCHILL. (Received Last Nifeht, 10.20 o'clock.) LONDON", July 26. The newspapers comment upon Mr AViiustdn OiUfohcul's gji-adual whitiGing of the 60 per cent, margin of superiority in Dreadnoughts, which was demanded' toy him an 'his epetech on the Navy 'Estimiatee.