The Times published on Monday and Wednesday two important articles
by its Military Correspondent on the new Dutch Defence Bill. The Bill will probably not be discussed till February. It certainly requires the most careful con- sideration which Englishmen can give to it. The Bill is concerned almost exclusively with the defence of the Dutch coast. This in itself is a singular thing. Of all the defences of Holland, the coast-line, owing to the shallow waters and the armaments already in existence, is the most secure, whereas the land defences of the Eastern frontier have for a, long time been neglected, and these are the obvious point of weakness. Why, then, is the coast suddenly to be further strengthened ? The preamble of the Bill says that its object is " to enable Holland to dispute with energy the occupation or use of its ports, estuaries, and maritime communications by belligerent Powers." But what naval Powers in any sense menace Holland ? No Power is build- ing ships suitable for navigation in the shallow Dutch waters. Germany, if she wished to attack Holland, would certainly prefer to do so by the obvious and much easier land route. The new Bill, in other words, provides defences which are not really needed for Dutch defence, though they would be most useful to Germany if there were a war between Germany and France or Germany and Great Britain. At the same time, no precautions are taken against Germany, to whom the Eastern frontier is only too accessible.
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