In the course of his speech Mr. Borden referred to
the Memorandum on Naval Defence Requirements which was prepared by the Admiralty for the Government of Canada. This remarkable document sets forth in plain language but
with perfect courtesy to Germany the story of the rise of German naval power, and then proceeds to describe what we must do to meet the German advance if we intend, as we do intend, that the British Empire shall remain, what Bacon called her in prophetie language, "the Lady of the Sea." We are glad to find that the Memorandum quotes textually the preamble of the German Navy Law of 1900, for that is a complete answer to those well-meaning people who assure us that German battleships and cruisers are not built for fighting our battleships and cruisers, but apparently for parade purposes or as Imperial excursion steamers. We also note with no small satisfaction that the Memorandum dwells upon the need not only of maintaining our present strength in the Mediterranean, but of increasing it as the fleets of Austria-Hungary and Italy increase. Finally the Memorandum declares that "whatever may be the decision of Canada at the present juncture, Great Britain will not in any circum- stances fail in her duty to the oversee Dominions of the Crown."
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