21 MARCH 1914, Page 2

In the House of Commons on Wednesday Mr. Aubrey Herbert

moved a resolution in regard to our position in the Mediterranean. Without a strong Fleet we could not have a strong policy. The main portion of Sir Edward Grey's reply was in every way excellent, for he insisted in the strongest terms upon the absolute necessity of maintain- ing the Triple Entente. What had proved essential to the peace of Europe during the troublons times of the past two years had been the existing grouping of the Powers. "We remain attached to those understandings." Sir Edward Grey might, indeed, have gone further, and said that in the present state of things the severance of the bonds which bind the Triple Entente would almost certainly result in immediate war.