Mr. Long introduced the Naval Estimates on Wednesday with a
well-deserved tribute to the magnificent work of the Navy in this war. He explained that the Admiralty could not deter- mine its future policy until the Peace Conference had decided the question of armaments. It had, however, cancelled orders for many new ships. Mr. Long said that the Admiralty meant to give both officers and men a considerable increase of pay, and hoped to have a Report from Admiral Jerram's Committee in a fortnight. Promotion from the lower deck would be en- couraged in every way. There two points were emphasized by
Sir Reginald Hall, the lath Director of Naval Intelligence, who took his seat for West Derby and made his maiden speech the same day. The Fleet, he said, had maintained wonderful disci- pline throughout the war because there was perfect confidence between officers and men. The German Fleet collapsed, we may add, because the officers and men distrusted one another. Sir Reginald Hall urged that the Navy should be generously treated, for the sake of the country's reputation. One of the warmest tributes to the Navy came from Mr. Brace. The Labour Party, he said, wanted en efficient and well-paid Navy. He ad- vised the First Lord, in a very significant passage, " to keep an eye on what was called the freedomof the seas"' at the Peace Con- ference. Mr. Brace did well to remind the Allies that the British Empire, wboae frontier is the sea, cannot treat this question lightly, as nations with land frontiers might be disposed to do.
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