*** DEBUG START ***
*** DEBUG END ***

Realism about Germany

by
26 July 2012

The Church Times. July 26th, 1912.

SOME months ago the First Lord of the Admiralty warned us that if the German programme of ship-building should be found to contain large schemes of naval extension he would be obliged to ask for an increased grant for his Majesty's navy. Mr Churchill's fears were not groundless. The German Parliament has sanctioned an expenditure on the navy on a scale so largely increased as to warrant us to believe that Germany means, if she can, to overhaul us in the matter of superiority at sea. Mr Churchill made no secret on Monday of his alarm at the ambitious programme that the German naval authorities have outlined, and accordingly he asked for the immediate additional grant of £990,000. Associated, however, as he is with colleagues some of whom begrudge every halfpenny that is spent on the national defences, and think that the resources of the Exchequer are better spent in endowing innumerable posts in the Government service, he has to go warily to work. Thus, though Germany is forging ahead with breathless haste, we are to lay down no new keels until six months have elapsed, and other details of his plan have all the appearance of having been pared down to a minimum of effectiveness in deference to the feelings of the sentimentalists who rule the political roost at the present time. One point, however, has been gained. Even the Government at last takes seriously the German menace it has pooh-poohed hitherto, and has ceased to act as though the way to induce Germany to restrict her schemes of armament was to stop building English ships.

Browse Church and Charity jobs on the Church Times jobsite

@churchtimes

Thu 20 Apr @ 16:08
The Archbishop of Canterbury has received the specially commissioned King James Bible that will be presented to Kin… https://t.co/u8LMnSFcfV

Welcome to the Church Times

 

To explore the Church Times website fully, please sign in or subscribe.

Non-subscribers can read four articles for free each month. (You will need to register.)