Next Mr. Lloyd George in effect proceeds to argue that
it is absurd for us to insist upon "a sixty per cent. superiority" of naval strength over Germany when Germany has nothing like that percentage of military superiority over France. She has, he goes on, become alarmed by recent events, and is upending huge Brims of money on the expan- sion of her military resources. "That is why I feel convinced that, even if Germany ever had any idea of challenging our supremacy at sea, the exigencies of the military situation must necessarily put it completely out of her head." Incidentally, we should like very much to bear the unbiassed opinion, not only of Mr. Winston Churchill, but of Sir Edward Grey and Mr. Asquith, upon such a proposition as this. Mr. Lloyd George, of course, goes on to say that he does not wish to reduce our Navy, but simply to keep it at its present strength. " If we maintain that standard no one can complain, but if we went on spending and swelling its strength, we should wantonly provoke other nations."
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