THE BRITISH NAVY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2479, 19 April 1909, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

THE COLONIAL OFFERS.. BRITISH LABOR MEMBER’S . VIEWS. United Press Association—Copyright. (Received April 18, 4.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 17. Mr, Arthur Henderson, Labor M.P. for Durham, in a letter dealing with the Labor Party’s communication to Australia, says that Dreadnoughts are overrated. He approves of the suggestion that colonial contributions should be on business lines, and not determined by waves of impulse. He fears that the Admiralty organisation is defective, compared with Germany, for modern conditions. THE “TIMES’” SUGGESTIONS. COLONIAL DREADNOUGHTS TO CO-OPERATE WITH COMMONWEALTH DESTROYERS. (Received April IS, 4.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 17. The “Times” comments on Canada’s proposal to discuss defences with the Admiralty and the Australian Ministry’s request for the Admiralty’s views, and repeats Lord Milner’s distum that co-operation is not a question of shifting burdens, but of developing fresh centres of strengi.li. The paper says that though the Mediterranean is the natural station for the donated Dreadnoughts, it advises the Admiralty to so apply the money from Australia and New Zealand that they may at least visit the colonies, or, still better, to permit the contributed . ships to cooperate with the Commonwealth’s fleet of destroyers. As possibly Dreadnoughts might not be considered the best type of vessel for that station (the Australian station) the money might be devoted to two or three cruisers of the best sort for the purpose. The “Times” approves of the suggestion in Air. Fisher’s Gympie speeech of policing the Western Pacific. Reuter has published a synopsis of the Commonwealth naval despatch.