3 JANUARY 1914, Page 9

If we now do what we believe Mr. Winston Churchill

honestly desires—instead of relaxing our efforts, make the distance between us and Germany still greater—there is a distinct possibility of German effort being relaxed as useless. If, on the other hand, we now slow down, we shall without question encourage the Germans to make one more supreme effort, and thus in the end increase our burden. Instead of a temporary relaxation in ship-building in Germany —if it exists, which we doubt—being a fitting opportunity for relaxing our efforts, it is a heaven-sent opportunity for putting our naval supremacy beyond the shade of a shadow of a doubt.