The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1911. THE RACE FOR ARMAMENTS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3115, 11 January 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1911. THE RACE FOR ARMAMENTS

"If we lost the supremacy ol the sea it would be absolutely the end of the British Empire.” These words of warning were uttered by Lord Charles Beresford in a. recent speech which is attracting a good deal of attention.. Of course there arc many people who beMieve that the gallant Admiral is unnecessarily anxious as to Britain’s naval and-military strength. It was to just such a class that, he stated, he was specially addressing his remarks. He was, 'he declared, very proud to be called a scaremonger or a scarecrow (laughter)—or anything else if it was because he did what he conceived to be his duty. Of late the position had -not changed. " We were not ready for war now; we were not organised for Avar. The navy Avas dangerously short of men.” In order to remedy matters nothing else would do ; Lord Charles continued, hut a naval loan. He Avas surprised that there were some people Avhd should-call him an idiot because he asked for a fcAV millions*- —a’ really infinitesimal amount—to put the navy right, and do more—to prevent war. In support of his advocacy of a further naval loan, he pointed out that Mr. Asquith had admitted that Britain Avould have a margin of only lour in heavy ships in 1913 or 1914. A margin of four heavy ships! What, ho asked; avoulcl that- margin be worth in the case of a panic? Jhe ■great Admiral went oil to say that in

a sutklen. war Britain might - lose a whole division before getting properly into action at all. The margin of four, it- had to be remembered, was in regard to only one Power. Apparently in reply to criticism which had previously been levelled at his proposal, Lord Charles Beresford then touched upon the question .as to what would happen if Britain were to commence at once to rapidly augment her naval strength. He said he agreed that if we had a panic it would irritate a neighboring Power, which was perfectly right and quite within her powers in building one hundred Dreadnoughts if she liked. As far as he could see, however, it would mean waiting too long to carry out the requirement out of revenue so that in every wayiit would be better to raise a special Mil. As to the manner in which Britain lias been building her navy as late years, Lord Charles had some m foresting observations to make. It w S, an undignified action, he said, to ghat in hand to the Power which he Iffad in mind, and ask her not to iViiffl so many ships, on the ground that itl/vas most inconvenient, the money being wanted for social purposes, 'mat Power in his opinion, preserved a calm dignified attitude and said, “Thanks very much, but she would loo'k after her own business, and do what she liked." Then we built tlio Dreadnought in reply, but directly we built her we held her up to Germany and other nations as a ship which coukl easily knock their flets into a cocked'hat. We insulted all nations, not by building her, but by flaunting her in front of them. After proceeding further in a similar strain, Lord Charles said: “While we left the freedom of the seas open to everybody, no one minded because they knew the supremacy on the seas was our very existence, but directly we became the bully of the seas and threatened other nations, those nations did what they had a right to do, build up to us. Then followed an extraordinary piece of insanity which no one realised. We decreased our shipbuilding enormously while neighboring countries were increasing theirs enormously." In the course of further remarks, lie declared that after the re-action following upon the building of the Dreadnought, Britain was two and a half years behind. He would not deny that our licet was stronger than it ever was before, but it was nothing like it ought to bo in comparison with our increased responsibilities and our greater dependence on the transit of materials and food supply over the water. Lord Charles concluded I. y depiecating the Declaration of London, insisting that our trade routes were not properly guarded and strongly advocating the establishment of a sufficient- body of trained men for home defence. Although many will leel it impossible to agree with Lord Charles in Regard to some of his remarks, it cannot be gainsaid that at Home the need for strengthening the army and navy is rapidly becoming more and more recognised by the public. If proof were required on this point, it is surely to be found in the growth of the National Service League, which is intended to promote and perfect home defence by encouraging every able-bodied man to take the trouble to train himself. Prom a small beginning only a few years ago the League lias now a large membersi ip, including a large proportion of members of the House of Commons. It will not, therefore, he surprising if err long the Home Government finds it impossible to withstand the increasing demand for a heavier naval programme and a more successful system of defence training.