THE BRITISH NAVY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2466, 2 April 1909, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

THE COLONIAL ASSISTANCE.

EFFECT IN AMERICA

United Press Association—Copyright.

LONDON, March 31

Mr. Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, speaking at the Agricultural Hall, criticising Mr. Asquith’s method of accepting the New Zealand Dreadnought, declared that such splendid patriotic liberality ought not to be used as a relief to the British taxpayer, or in subvention of the Motherland’s pecuniary necessities, but as an additional guarantee of the maintenance of the Empire’s supremacy. In the House of Commons, Mr. McKenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, informed Lieutenant Bella irs, Liberal member for King’s Lynn, that the calculation was on the same basis here as elsewhere. The estimates for new construction of armaments for 1900-10 totalled £10,256,194, compared with £lO,751,000 in Germany, and £10,015,101 in the United States.

The “Daily Mail” reports that .the American imagination has been powerfully moved over tile colonies’ willingness to. beat the Empire’s burdens. The “New York Globe” states: “Are we on ther~threshold of a change of relations between the Motherland and the colonies?” The “Westminster Gazette” charges Mr. Balfour with making party capital out of the colonial Dreadnoughts offered, by linking them with the fiscal question, hut it agrees that the present is a favorable moment to consider the whole question of colonial co-operation in Imperial defence. THE COMMONWEALTH NAVY. “A TINPOT MOSQUITO FLEET.” , SYDNEY, April 1. Mr. Wade, Premier of New South Wales, characterised the naval scheme as a “tinpot mosquito fleet.” The position, he said, was most dangerous, because the naval agreement expires in three years. THE EMPIRE LEAGUE. THANKS TO THE COLONIES. (Received April 1, 10.40 p.m.) ~ LONDON, April 1. Lord Bra.ssey, formerly Governor of Victoria, at the British Empire League meeting, moved a resolution welcoming colonial co-operation in naval defence." General Hutton, formerly Australian Commandant, seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. SHIPBUILDING FACILITtcS. CAPABILITIES OF THE ELSWICK WORKS. (Received April 1, 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, April 1. . Sir Andrew Noble, chairman of Armstrong. Whitworth and Co., speaking at Newcastle, said that the Elswick works have three berths for Dreadnoughts, and coukl construct three in thirty months, and set off three every fifteen months subsequently. With another berth the works could build four Dreadnoughts annually and complete their armament. A GREAT PUBLIC MEETING. DEMANDS FOUR MORE DREADNOUGHTS. (Received April 1, 10.40 p.m.) LU.'i/e.N. April 1. One. of the greatest meetings of the generation, held in the Guildhall, London, demanded four more Dreadnoughts immediately. The Lord Mayor ■presided. . _ . Lord Brasse.y, in moving a resolution, that the safety of the Empire was the first ‘duty of the nation, met with loud expressions of dissent when he declared that there was no cause for attacking the Government because it had for a time reduced expenditure and ■ in so doing had obeyed its. election mandate. He condemned the scare, which had lowered the national dignity, and said that' too much money was proposed to be devoted to .unarmoured classes of vessels. He advised immediate action in the direction of tile revision of the present vote without adding to the cost so as to provide for the cost of two more Dreadnoughts.

Mr. Balfour, said that the entire Empire was deeply disquieted alter c>ii Edward Grey’s warnings tliat the reconstruction of the navy was necessary. They must look ahead to 1915. . (Received April 1, 11.05 p.m.) At the Guildhall meeting Mr. Balfour urged an immediate of the plant for the output of future construction, and to commence building without delay.' He pointed out that apart from the question of tile twoPower standard, Germany and America arc each spending more oil construction than England. If, besides the four contingent Dreadnoughts next April, eight others were found necessary, there would be the preposterous arrangement of twelve in one year. Reference to two Dreadnoughts from Australasia provoked many rounds of cheering. Other speakers’ included Lord Rothschild, Sir T. J. Herbert, M.P., and Major G. A. Gibbs, M.P. A motion 'was also passed expressing the citizens-’ gratitude for the colonial Dreadnoughts. - .1.

“PUNCH’S” COMPLIMENT TO NEW ZEALAND. “THOSE IMOnIcUBS ARE SPLENDID.” (Received ■ April 1; 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, April 1. “Punch’s” cartoon pictures Germania watching New Zealand’s Dreadnought and sighing, “Those lion cubs are splendid; I wish I,had eaglets like that.” " ' THE POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. SPEECH BY SIR- WILLIAM LYNE. (Received April 1, 11.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 1. Sir William Lyne, speaking at Gundagai, said there had been an outburst of enthusiasm, he would call it hysteria, regarding the presentation of a Dreadnought to England, though the Empire could be best served by making sensible provision in Australia against an enemy. He agreed with Mr. Fisher’s policy of building torpedo boats, and thought the Government might go further by building submarines. Ho deprecated hysteria at such a time, when England was .not threatened. Australia would never hesitate to do her duty to the country in time of trouble.

Mr. Donaldson, a member of the State Parliament, said he did not agree with Sir William Lyne, believing that the time bad arrived when Australia should give a Dreadnought. If devotion and loyalty to the Empire could be dubbed jingoism, he would be proud to be a Jingo. Any counter movement could only be classified as dingoism, emblematic of a dog that hit the hand that fed it.

The Lord Mayor, in issuing a further appeal for the Dreadnought fund, said, “Let me again express congratulations to the people of New Zealand Tbr their .magnificent offer, which has commanded the attention and admiration of the whole world.” A PATRIOTIC PROPOSAL. PROPOSED OFFERING FROM NEW ZEALAND WOMEN. The Mayoress (Mrs. IV. D. Lvsuar) has received a letter from Miss Rochfort, lion, secretary to the general committee? Cambridge, stating that at a meeting held at Cambridge, it was resolved that, in view of a battleship 'being presented to the Mother Country, : and the cost of this mainly falling upon the taxpayers, it would be a good tiling if the women and girls of New 'Zealand made even a small freewill ■offering to’ go towards the cost of the ship. The writer adds: “As we women have the suffrage in this country, and ■our girls now growing up will have it too, we take an interest in the doings of our Dom■ffnion. .If you are in .sympathy' with tin's movement we trust that you, with the Mayor, will convene a meeting of the women and girls of your city and interest them in it and receive subscriptions. The general committee will be deeply grateful if you will communicate to them the result and general feeling of such meeting,'and your own opinion as to the suitability of the plan of the general committee.” The Mayoress will convene a meeting at an early date to discuss the matter.