IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2694, 27 December 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

--GERMAN AND BRITISH ENPEXDI#i' TURE. -United Press Association —Copyrighi LONDON, Dec. 23’. Lord Brassey, who is visiting Cape -Colony, advocates strengtheningthe : •Cape squadron. He believes that'inadequate representation of .the Navy Jends to weaken confidence in the Imperial power. ’ v Sir It. W. Perks, Liberal member for • Louth, and Mr J. Ward, a Labor member for Stoke-on-Trent, have joined the newly reorganised Navy League. Lord Cawdor declared that while •German expenditure on new ships nearly trebled between 1904 and 1910, from £4,644,000' sterling to £12,000,000, the British expenditure had been reduced from £13,508,000 in 1904 to £8,600.000 in 1908, and £10.256,000 in 1909. GREAT EFFECT .OF BLATCHFORD’S PATRIOTIC APPEAL. -(Received December- 26,. 5.5 p.m.): LONDON, Dec. 25. V Robert Blatchford’s articles have •provoked great,interest throughout the country. In pamphlet form their sale reached a quarter of a million' in a few hours. The “Spectator” hopes -that Mr. Blatchford will continue to preach the necessity of preparation for defence, because he can claim such a hearing from the workers as few other men could command. The “Spectator” adds that there need be no question of stirring up ill-will in Germany against Britain. It is simply a question of insisting that Britain must remain mistress of the seas, if the Empire is to survive.

[Robert Blatchford, though an extreme Socialist, is distinguished from other Socialistic leaders by being a writer of great ability, and by possessing some patriotic feeling. He recently visited Germany and on hi s return wrote a series of articles calling attention to Britain’s danger ‘and unpreparedness, and imploring the electors to place national defence before .the House of Lords question.]