HAS THE GOVERNMENT MAINTAINED OUR NAVAL SUPREMACY?
[To THE Emma OF THE " SPECTATOR."] Sin,—When I spoke on the Shipbuilding Vote last Wednesday 1 naturally expected that a speech from so inconspicuous a man as myself would be very slightly reported. But the statistics I gave, and which were derived almost entirely from Mr. Churchill's statements made in answer to questions in the House of Commons, were of an importance so tremendous, and so vital to our immediate future, that I venture to ask you to reproduce them.—I am, Sir, &c., Forelands, Bromsgrove.
JOHN T. MIDDLEMORE.
"HAS THE GOVERNMENT MAINTAINED OUR NAVAL SUPREMACY ? "
1. In the spring of 1906, when the present Government came into power, we had 31 completed battleships, not more than ten years launched, to Germany's 14. Now we have 27 to Germany's 18. A superiority of 114 per cent. has dwindled to one of 50 per sent. Is that maintaining our naval position?
2. In the spring of 1906 we had 35 completed cruisers, not more than ten years launched, to Germany's 20. Now we have 15 such vessels to Germany's 20. A superiority of 75 per cent. has been exchanged for an inferiority of 25 per cent. Is that main- taining our naval position
3. In the spring of 1906 we had 109 completed destroyers, not launched more than ten years, to Germany's 43. We have now 104 such vessels to Germany's 88, that is to say, a superiority of 132 per cent. has been exchanged for one of 18 per cent. Further- more, in home waters we have 67 fully commissioned destroyers to Germany's 66. Finally, we have 48 destroyers older than the oldest in the German Navy. Is that maintaining our naval strength ?
4. At the beginning of 1906 we had 31 battleships in full com- mission to Germany's 15. We have now 27 to Germany's 19, that is to say, a superiority of 107 per cent, has been reduced to 42 per cent. Is that maintaining our naval position ?
5. In the spring of 1906 we had 8 battleships in the Mediter- ranean; now we have none. Is that maintaining our naval posi- tion ?
8. On July 1st, 1906, we were building 16 armoured ships to Germany's 8. At the present moment we are building 14 (two of which are four months overdue) to Germany's 10. Is that maintaining our naval position?
7. In the six and a half years immediately preceding the pre- sent Government's accession to power, we launched 54 armoured ships to Germany's 19. In the subsequent six and a half years we have launched 30 to Germany's 22, and in the last four and a half years (1908 onwards) only 18 to 18. Is that maintaining our naval superiority ?
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