THE BRITISH NAVY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2457, 23 March 1909, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

(Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, March 22

The Government has decided to offer to defray the cost of the immediate building and arming. of one first-class battleship of the latest type, and if ■subsequent events show it to be necessary, to provide the cost of a second warship of the same type.

(Special to “Times”.)

In an interview to-day, the Prime Minister stated that the unanimity, of both sides which the recent debate in ■the British House of Commons has disclosed with regard to the gravity of . the situation between the Motherland and Germany is so far as our naval supremacy is concerned, cannot be misinterpreted. No room is left for doubt that Eng3and feels her supremacy on the seas is now seriously threatened by the amazing naval activity of the German -dockyards. It "appears clear that all thoughtful men in Great Britain recognise that the Empire must set itself, with the utmost determination, and, if necessary, sacrifice, to maintain the naval supremacy upon whicn not only our honor but our national greatness depeilds.. The burden laying upon the British nation for naval expenditure is at profit enormous, and every loyal subject of the Crown must feel that in a time of crisis like this lie is called upon to help the Motherland with more than words.

A GERMAN DREADNOUGHT

LAUNCHED

GREAT SECRECY OBSERVED

BERLIN, March 21

FEELING IN AUSTRALIA.

GIFT OF A DREADNOUGHT HEARTILY SUPPORTED.

SYDNEY, March 21

New Zealand is proud of the past proofs of her loyalty to flip Mothei Country, and stands to-day in the estimation of the British people as among the first in the British Dominions, for a ready and loyal response where the necessities of the Empire call for it. The Prime Minister said that in the circumstances the Government of New Zealand felt its obligations to assist the Motherland, and a Cabinet meeting this morning had unanimously agreed to the Prime Minister’s proposal that- this country should offer to defray the cost of the immediate building and arming of one first-class battleship of the latest type, and if subsequent events show it to be necessary, would provide the cost -of a second warship of the same type.

Sir Joseph Ward said that he had sent this offer, through His Excellency the Governor, 4 to the. Secretary of State for the Colonies this afternoon.

He -went on to say that this is a time when any -waiting or halting on the part of the New Zealand Go\ eminent would enormously lessen the v alue of' any assistance we might eventually give, and he felt confident a mattei touching our national existence would. £he treated as above party considei ations, and would .appeal to every section of the community as a right and proper thing to do. Apart from the moral effect of this offer, it had to be remembered that even upon the grounds of self-interest, it is amply justified, since in this country the value of our national and our private wealth is now nearly £600,000,000, ans this largely depends upon the British navy for its security and de-

fence. Sir Joseph Ward added that this determination had not been hurriedly arrived at. He had been revolving the whole matter for some days past, and, after anxious and careful consideration, brought it before some of bis colleagues on Saturday morning last. All the Ministers were present at the meeting of the Cabinet to-day, when the matter was debit with, and the proposal had been cordially and unanimously assented to.

NEW ZEALAND’S OFFER.

AUSTRALIAN COMMENT—NEW ZEALAND LEADS.

SYDNEY, March 22

A NAVY LEAGUE uESQLUTION.

GOVERNMENT’S ACTION

ENDORSED

WELLINGTON, March 22

The Executive of the Wellington branch of the Navy League held a special meeting this, afternoon, and passed a resolution heartily endorsing the Cabinet’s offer to the British Government in. connection with the naval crisis.

FEELING IN BRITAIN.

A NAVY CAMPAIGN

yjjKXTED Press Association— Copyright

LONDON, March 21. The Navy League Defence Committee the London Chamber of Commerce, and tlie Imperial Maritime League are arranging a Navy campaign throughout tlie countiy. - Mr. J. L. Girvan, editor of the Observer ” states that Mr. Lloyd George knd Mr. Winston Churchill are responsible for whittling down Admiral Fishes proposals. He urges tnat four Dreadnoughts he laid down in June and four in November, and that the Brazilian warships be bought to avoid the risk of their passing to Germany. If Mr. Asquith refuses to adopt_tms - : course the Peers must reject the. Bud-. . get and force a dissolution of I arlianLkaSteto States.

CARDINAL MORAN’S VIEWS.

NOUGHJS

ITS' SUPREMACY THREATENED.

>- NEW ZEALAND OFFERS TWO DREADNOUGHTS. THE UNION JACK MUST WAVE UNCHALLENGED AS IN THE DAYS OF NELSON.

ing programme purely to help the unemployed. . ' All the newspapers are giving prominence to the suggested Australian gift of a Dreadnought, expressing pleasure at the patriotic thought. Mr. Keir Hardie, speaking at Sheffield, declared that it was their duty not to support the Government, but to stretch their hands across the North Sea to their German colleagues to make war upon the common enemy, the capitalist system.

The warship Yon der Tann, known as a cruiser, was launched at Hamburg with great secrecy. The tonnage is 19,000. The vessel is fitted with turbine engines. The crew numbers 900.

The suggested presentation of a Dreadnought meets with general support in Sydney. Politicians, however, while sympathetic, are reticent, realising the financial problems involved. Mr. W 7. H. Kelly, a member of the House of Representatives, wired to Mr. Fisher, the Prime Minister, urging him to call Parliament together to deal with the matter, or, as an alternative, countermanding the building of destroyers, on the ground that the augmentation of the Empire’s battleships is more important than the creation of an isolated flotilla here.

Mr. Cook, Leader of the Federal Opposition, referring to the naval situation disclosed in the cablegrams, said there should be an instant response from the oversea. Dominions.

Mr. Deakin, ex-Premier of the Commonwealth, speaking at Murrwillumbali, made .a spirited appeal for enthusiasm on the defence question. The spirit suggesting the presentation of a Dreadnought was, he said, a splendid one. Mr. Deakin- pointed out that if Britain accepted the position of being content with a navy as strong as one of her possible foes the whole theory whereon Australian defence was founded would disappear. The present defence force was maintained upon the assumption that the British navy was powerful enough to master any combination of Powers. - ■ .-

Sir Wm. Lyue warmly supports the presentation of a Dreadnought. He is convinced that the people will give a ready response if asked. MELBOURNE, March 21.

The newspapers’ suggestion of presenting a Dreadnought has strong general support. An enthusiastic meeting of the Stock Exchange carried a resolution, asking that Parliament be called together to authorise the building and gift of a Dreadnought. Lord Dudley and many public 111611' have expressed approval of the proposed presentation. Telegrams from other States indicate a similar feeling.

United Press Association —Copyright (Received March 22, 11.35 p.m.)

“New Zealand Leads” announces in big type the' contents bill of one of the evening papers. The promptness and magilitudp. of the Dominion’s offer are unstintedly admired. At the same’ tiine admiration is tempered with some disappointment at New Zealand outdistancing Australia in making the response. Public and press almost unanimously favor making the proposed offer, and astonishment is expressed at the statesmen’s slowness in failing to fall in with public feeling. . . . Mr. Wade, Premier, of New South Wales, is 7 not in favor of presenting a Dreadnought, but would' increase the naval subsidy. ■-

Speaking at a citizens' farewell- to him at the Town Hall, Sir Harry Rawson, the departing Governor, referring -o the proposed presentation of a Dreadnought, said he hoped that the feeling would -spread. Such a feeling by the colonies for the Motherland would go further towards maintaining 1 the peace of the world than any other." He announced that he had received a letter from Mr. Hugh Dixon, tobacco manufacturer, offering £SOOO ton ards the purchase of a Dreadnought.

OBJECTS TO GIVING DREAD-'

(Received March 22, 11.35 p.m.) ' SYDNEY, March 22. Cardinal Moran, interviewed, said lie had alwaysbeen .'in, favor of building Dreadnoughts for Australia... So doing 'XIiP ; British GovCJTlr

ment’s naval projects in a marvellous jmanner, but he looked upon the proposal to give a Dreadnought to England as a piece of hyterical fanaticism, not to. say folly. England, lie said, lias money enough to build any number of vessels required, and the whole people of the Empire corresponded in a determination to maintain the supremacy of the nation; To send a ship Home would be like sending coals to Newcastle, whereas securing half-a-dozen. Dreadnoughts for the Pacific will benefit this young ■ country, and will assist England to maintain the peace of the world.

THE ALLEGED PkCPOSALS TO

GERMANY.

EXPLANATIONS ASKED FOR

(Received March 22, 11.35 p.m.) LONDON, March 22

The unprotected cruiser Bollona and the destroyer Crusader have been launched.

Several members of the House of Commons on both sides of the House are pressing Mr. Asquith for an explanation regarding fruitless overtures 1 to Germany for mutual reduction of armaftnente.

The “Cologne Gazette” now explains that proposals were put forward, but were for. confidential enquiry, which Germany declined to entertain on the ground that she was determined to execute her programme at all costs. . The “Standard” states that the movement, under the auspices of the Navy Imperial Maritime League is exclusively national, solely to assure Britain s supremacy at sea. The “Times,” discussing Mr. Asquith’s difficulties, declares that he need lot fear the attitude of some of his colleagues who are too much instinct with self-preservation to resign for fear of the rank and file. He can avert party division and rehabilitate the Government enormously in the estimate of the public by an explicit, unequivocal pledge that eight Dreadnoughts will io begun in 1909 and completed in the rapidest possible time.

COMMONWEALTH PREMIER’S

OPINION.

WOULD DEFEND AUSTRALIA RATHER THAN GIVE A DREADNOUGHT.

(Received March 22, 11.35 p.m.)

MELBOURNE, March 22

Mr. Fisher, Commonwealth Premier, interviewed, declared that the gieat thing was that Australia should so secure her own defence that an enemy would be frightened to attack her. That would be a greater assistance to Britain than the gift of a Dreadnought. He proposed to deal with the whole question of defence in a policy speech next Monday.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER.

MESSAGES OF APPRECIATION

(Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, March 22. Sir Joseph Ward told a “New Zealand Times” reporter to-night that he is receiving numerous congratulatory telegrams of a strongly patriotic nature, and feels certain that the Government’s offer will be endorsed by everybody who gave the position serious tlionglit. People on both sides of politics have telegraphed their appreciation and endorsement. He fully recognises the responsibility. At a juncture of this kind delay.would be. out of the question. If we wanted to be of service to the Old Land the only thing was to act at once and show the. outside world that- the German’s extraordinary building programme provided a situation which justified New Zealand in showing that the Old Country can rely linpon the assistance of the people in ” the outlying dependencies. The annual interest we would pay for an undertaking of this kind would amount to only Is 3d per head of the population, and the most dispassionate critic would recognise that this was a very small thing to pay for value received in the shape of protection, apart altooether from tlie loyal desire of the residents of New Zealand to maintain the power of their own. Empire.

POLITICIANS’ VIEWS.

WELLINGTON M.P.’S INTER-

VIEWED.

(Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, March 22. Interviewed regarding the offer of a battleship, Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P., thinks the Government did right m acting promptly, and not waiting for Parliament to meet. He is not at all against the course adopted. Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.P., considered it would have been preferable if the Government had followed the precedent set by the late Mr. Seddon, who circularised members of Parliament before sending a contingent to South Africa. . Mr. A. L. Herdman declined to express an opinion till full details of the offer were before linn. Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., wants more evidence before he is convinced that there is urgent need for such assistance. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., was not prepared to express a definite opinion off-hand, though he believes the destiny and fate of New Zealand will one day be settled in the English Channel. Mr. David McLaren, M.P., objected to the Government committing the country to such an expenditure without consulting Parliament. Ho was against the offer'’as a matter of ethics, apart altogether from politics.

PATRIOTIC PUBLIC BODIES

BOROUGH COUNCILS’ APPRECIATION. (Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 22. At tire meeting of. the Newmarket Borough Council to-night .it was resolved—“ That in view of the serious state of affairs in regard to the navy requirements, this council places on record itsappreciation of the- action of the Ministry in offerings to present.< tire .Im-. perial Government -.with a .battleship, believing 'as:, it does:.-that _ the t whole. LindaAieutnl : hnisis -■ of rPeacdv.and -;thc.

security of the Dominion of New Zealand in particular is founded on the strength of the; British navy.” "TiMARU; March 22.

At the meeting of the Timaru Borough' Council to-night, the. Mayor and councillors expressed great. satisfaction at the 1 action of the Government in deciding to present the Mother Country with a battleship, and decided to forward a motioh of appreciation to the Premier.' The motion was carried unanimously, and the councillors, immediately on passing it, rose-and sang a verse of the National Anthem.

THE BRITISH NAVAL POLICY.

A SEVERE INDICTMENT,

Some weeks ago, “Ignotus,” in the “National Review,” defined the position as between Germany and Britain to be this:—“Peace depends, first and foremost, on the incontestable superiority of the British navy, and this incontestable superiority depends on three pointe—(l) The laying down of tufa keels in each class of ship for the German one; j(2) the correct (disposition of those keels when completed and commissioned ;and (3) sound strategy at headquarters.” Now, as regards the first, the writer asserts that the British navy is hardly being maintained upon a one-power standard. With respect to the second, he complains that the navy is scattered in “little packets, while that of Germany is concentrated to the highest degree.” Concerning the third, the writer alleges that the result of recent manoeuvres in the North Sea was disastrous; and, finally, that, “like Franco in the years before 1870, England is preparing for defeat, and increasing the risk of war by diminishing her armaments in the face of German preparations.” At the same time Germany is doing her utmost to break down the entente cordiale between France and Great Britain, and as at any time irresistible military pressure may be brought to hear upon the former Power by Germany, England, it is contended, should be in a position to place from 200,000 to 300,000 men in Lorraine with the utmost expedition, “the problem being not to injure Germany, but to prevent her from using her enormous strength to the ruin of her weaker neighbors.” Furthermore, as a corollary to the policy thus recommended, “Ignotus” argues that a defensive alliance should be entered into by France, Russia, and Great Britain; and that in the meanwhile the ' army should be re-formed, the navy increased in the manner proposed above, and concentrated in the North Sea as “the key to European peace, and the only chance of averting a terrible and sanguinary conflict.”

A NAVAL UNDERSTANDING'WITH

GERMANY. PRONOUNCED IMPOSSIBLE. The question of a naval understanding with Germany was the theme of an article in the “Fortnightly Review” by “Excubitor, ’ which was occasioned by a statement that the Imperial Government in England is working to settle the problem, and secure a simultaneous reduction of expenditure on armaments by which both nations— British and German—stand to gain enormously without any loss of security. But it is difficult 'to imagine any Britisher seriously entertaining such a delusive expectation; for, in the first place, there is a widespread, though .wholly erroneous, belief in Germany that England is only waiting an opportunity to destroy the German fleet, and of thus crippling her commerce; and, in the. second, it seems to be forgotten that the German Navy Act, being an expression of the national will, ratified by the vast majority of the people of the Empire, must ho regarded as irremovable. Therefore, there is. not the slightest probability of Germany departing frfom the policy to which that Act has committed her. On the other hand, it is admitted by all sections of politicians in Great Britain that ‘the navy Js to them their liberty, their food, the material, with which they work, and the Empire oil which they pride themselves.” For these reasons the fleet must be maintained at a twopower standard, and tins resolves itself into a question of finance. Looked at in this light, “Excubitor” makes the pertinent remark that “battleships are cheaper than battles. Our aim,” lie proceeds to observe, “must be to have sufficeint battleships _ to guarantee ns against the probability of having to finance for more costly battles. The South African war entailed an expenditure of about £230,000,000. A European war would cost more than twice, the truest economy, therefore, to mainprobably .three times, that sum. It is tain the fleet,- and thus avoid the burdensome expense of war. Hostilities against a European Power, even thougli we eventually succeeded, would disorganise the whole industry of the country, and would leave us with a heavy weight of debt, as was the case with Japan after signing the treaty of peace with Russia.” A programme of two- to one against Germany would involve an outlay of £81,600,000, and of three to two of £60,700,000, which, it is suggested, should be defrayed -out of a short-dated loan.

BRITISH DREADNOUGHTS.

SEVEN COMPLETED

. Of the Dreadnought class of vessels there are completed the Dreadnought, Bellerophon, Temeraire, Superb, St. Vincent, Collingwood, and Vanguard; an eighth, the Foudroyant, is in course of construction, and on the 20th January last, at Portsmouth, the first keel plate of the new battleship Neptune, the biggest of Britain’s Dreadnoughts, was officially laid. The Neptune (20,000 tons) is to be ready for sea in two years, and will cost £2,000,000. She will be 510ft' long, and 86ft wide, which is 20ft longer and 4ft wider than the Dreadnought, and 10ft longer and 2ft wider than the St. Vincent, which preceded her on the slip. In displacement there will be still greater disparity between the different ships. The displacement of the' Neptune will be over 20,000 tons, probably 20,250, as against tho Dreadnought’s 17,900 and the St. Vincent’s 19 ; 250. As in all the vessels of the Dreadnought class, _turbinc engines will be fitted, with 25,000 h.p. in tlie case of the Neptune, giving her a speed slightly in excess of the other Dreadnoughts. An important improvement in the new ship is the arrangement, of tho ten I2in guns winch will form her armament. The former Dreadnoughts have a stern fire of only six guns, hat the after-turret of the Neptune will be so pia'cod that tire inner guns will fire over the top of the extreme after turret, giving a stern fire of eight- guns., , . . . With the commencement of the Neptune the' British navy' has built, or ts building, eleven' ships embodying the all-big-gun'-' principle introduced in Vtlie

tcly preceding types- with a heavy mixed armament of 12iri and 9.2 in guns. In comparison with the British achievement of ten ships of the new type launched, Germany has four already launched, the United States three, and France one, hut these countries have a number of-vessels in a less advanced stage of construction.'

THERIVAL NAVIES.

A COMPARISON

Naval strength of Great Britain and Germany, including all ships actually ordered in 1908: Description, • * Brit- Ger-

The recent disclosures throw grave doubts upon the accuracy of the German figures.

BRITISH DOCKYARDS.

The following information respecting the public dockyards in Great Britain are of interest in the present juncture: Portsmouth. —Six docks take large ships; one takes armoured cruisers, 10,000 tons and smaller; one slip for building battleships up to 750 ft in length; three large basins; ten small docks.

Devonport-. —One dock takes battleships of 425 ft in length; five smaller; two large slips. Keyliam.—Six docks take large battle ships; three smaller; three large basins.

Chatham. —One large dock takes battleships 800 ft in length; four smaller. Sheerness. —Five small docks. Pembroke. One dock takes small battleships. Haulbowline.—Two docks take any ship.

THE GERMAN NAVAL PROGRAMME.

207 MILLIONS TO BE SPENT BY 1917. " At the close of ISO 7 a new Navy Act was submitted to the Reichstag, and passed by it in 1908. It fixed the age at which every large German battleship must be replaced at 20 years (5 years less than the Act passed in 1900, and the Act known as the “Novelle” of 1906), and raised the annual programme and expenditure to the figures shown below. Acccording to Colonel Gaedke, in 1911, the programme for 1912 will be revised, and the number of large armored ships to be laid down annuahy increased from four to five,. the expenditure being at the same time augmented. Thus the figures aitei 1911 must be taken as provisional: 22 .‘ to • r~ . . O ,Tj s-> -/-> x/2 * - S? a a S§ ~ g 2 g 3 S £•= g*3 -S $ «s u a u ° o X« « CO WP a rHC

• ' etc. ■ am. many, Battleships— 1st class ■10 - 0 2nd class 8 . 0 3rd class 30 20 4th class 11 4 Armored Cruisers— Invincibles 4 2 Other modern types 35 9 Cruisers (modern, with speed of 23 knots and over) ... 16 17 Old Cruisers ... ... 01 18 Destroyers (launched 10 years or less) ... 81 84 Torpedo Boats 47 0 Submarines 65 20 Cost-: Million £ 32.3 17.2 Men (peace strength) 128,000 50,500 Men (reserves) ... 56,700 60,000

1908 ... 3 ... 1 .. 2 .. 12 . . 16.6 1909 ... 3 ... 1 .. 2 .. 12 . . 20.2 1910 ... 3 ... 1 . .. 2 .. 12'. . 22.0 1911 ... 3 ... 1 . .. 2 .. 12 . . 23.0 1912 .... 1 ... 1 .. 2 .. 12 . . 22.4 1913 ... 1 ... 1 .. 2 .. 12 . . 21.5 1914 ... 1 ... 1 .. 2 .. 12 . . 20.8 1915 ... 1 ... 1 .. 2 .. 12 . . 20.0 1916 ... *,1 ... 1 .. 2 .. 12 . . 20.4 1917 ... 1 ... 1 2 ... 12 . . 20. S IS 10 20 120 207.7