THE GERMAN NAVY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2679, 8 December 1909, Page 6

THE GERMAN NAVY.

WHY THE SILENCE. It was cabled from Berlin on November 27: “Recent speeches made in America by Herr Bernstorff, German Ambassador to the United States, deprecated a war scare, and affirmed the purely commercial nature of Germany’s policy. The language of the speeches -Las attracted attention in Berlin, where it is assumed that Herr Bernstorff reflects the views of the recentlyappointed Imperial Chancellor, Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg, whose- policy is- a departure from the methods of his predecessor Prince Bulow. Seeing that Prince Bulowl caused irritation in . the neighboring States by encouraging the pan-Germans, Herr von Bethmann-'HoIL weg, desires to repudiate all conneciio’ft vwith/ the'pah'-Gefibans.” ' : The average cablegram is of special interest to-day. in view of the fact;; that it contained a further statement by the “Standard” that Herr von BethmannHollweg has converted the Kaiser .to hig views. Since then, it is to be noted, the Kaiser did not launch the Thuringia. but sent his second son, wild- sjioke liome involved platitudes. Tho omission in the Kaiser’s speech at the opening of the Reichstag would hardly be without a purpose." v . / / There are those who will say that the Kaiser’s silerice is not due to any act of conversion performed by iliis new Chancellor, but to the appearance 6f Lord Lansdowne’s Budget amendment, which / makes fairly certain, an early general election in Britain on issues which include the navy. The Unionists affirm that German designs are built. on the perpetuation of Liberal rule in England ; that while Britain talks without building, Germany builds without talking. On this line of argument, it would be Germany is business not to embarrass the Liberals, and- to make no demonstration prior 'to an English gen-, eral election. The German plan is declared to be: “Sixteen battleships and silence.* * The Liberal retort is that Unionist papers are bound to stir up the Gorman bogey prior to the election, for purposes' of political capital.