New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-17
ENGLAND RETRENCHING
Economies Forced Upon a Free
Trade Ministry.
London. March 2.

ysheral government is carrying out its pledges
,ri,h resolute determination and absolute con-
sistency and. II the Brigg election in Lincoln
,hi,e he decisive proof. its economies are not
,recia ed The estimates for the army and
navy reveal reductions amounting to $4,000.
OoO That is an achievement which ought to
,ronress taxpayers with the honesty and eff
ciency Of the government after long course Of
sUollen expenditures ana lcvies on incomes.
earned or inherited. one Unonist Chancellor OF
che Exchequer after another has given warning
,bat the wasteful expenditures of the fighting
services must be cut down; but when there is a
SYSTEMATIC and successful attempt on the part
"a liberal administration to revert to economy
and common sense there are no signs OF national
snnroval. The average English patriot wants 10
cal his cake whether he keeps the money for it or
snends IT, He may not sing jingo songs. as in
,be halcyon days Of Lord Beaconsfeld's peace
Nth honor" or the Mafeking revels: but he
graves the recreation Of Boosting that the British
navy IS more than a match for the combined
eeets Of two or even three maritime powers
and that there is a national army available
Cav campaigning abroad and home defence. He
AZ a convinced economist on the days when he
ns,,s his rates and income tax, but during the
GREATER mart OF the year he plumes himself on
thinking imperially.' and will not be called
'TJttle Englander" Ministers need TO have
high courage as we'll as a sound conscience in
advocating retrenchment. They are pulling
against a popular current in the swollen stream
n national tendencies. and onlookers in the
towpath are more likely to jeer at them than
10 hurrah for them.
Lord Tweedmouth's estimates for the navy re-
veal substantial reductions in the construction,
equipment and armament OF new ships. There is
q shrinksge Of Il .13S. 600 in the shpbuding pro-
z1,.Ffs, f,f nay,
cent in ornaments. and while two new battleships
ere TO be laid down, with the promise of third
II the discussions at the Hague congress do not
lead to practical results the bulk OF the IS. 100
0DO appropriated for construction Will be applied
10 the completion Of vessels projected under the
last administration. Retrenchment lis effected
mainly by restrictions upon new ships. and it can
he justified ON several grounds. With the destruc-
ton OF the Russian fleet and with the establish
ment Of cordial relations with France, the neces-
sitv for rapid increase OF British naval arma-
nents has passed. America and Germany are
strengthening their navies, but II must be
panic-stricken weakling who considers the pos
sbility OF the combination OF those two fleets
against England urgent reason for
doubling the number Of battleshps and armored
cruisers TO be laid down. There are technical
grounds for increased deliberation in construc-
fion as the experts themselves frankly admit.
The improved armored cruiser has been sub
5ected TO criticism so destructive a vulnerable
type that the Admiralty escapes censure in de-
Gliding against repeating it. No new cruisers are
projected. and below that class there is only one
small ship. with a number Of torpedo craft and
submarines The two battleEhips the only
important addition 10 the navy. and while the
Dreadnought has given the highest satisfaction
in her sea trials and earliest voyages. it IS a
-l,f
not TO be duplicated too rapidly, since marine
engineers can he trusted 10 improve upon the
mechanism, model and armament. Even without
the congress az The Hague and the opportunity
Tor setting wholesome example in a reduction
OF ornaments there are valid reasons to lie
urged with cumulative force in favor Of the Adj
miralty scheme OF retrenchment.
Mr. HaIdane's argument for increased eff
cheney al lower cost for the army is repeated
by Lord Tweedmouth for the Admiralty. He
holds that. with a thousand seamen dropped from
the payrolis and with every obsolete ship out OF
commission, there are stronger resources Of sea
power and better values for the money. He
shows that a much larger percentage Of vessels
Of al classes is available for service at present
than formerly. that there is a marked gain in
efficiency from keeping fighting ships constantly
manned; that the redistribution OF vessels pro-
vides for the complete manning Of squadrons
Of batGeshps and armored cruisers in home
waters. the Atlantic and Mediterranean and for
considerable increase in all nucleus crews for
the first lighting Iine, and that there have been
administrative Improvements in every branch
Of the service If it be true that all the best
ships are ready for war and that more than one
half Of the feet in home waters is fully manned
and that the remnant can be equipped at short
notice. the reserves are virtually modified and
The navy IS in the highest state OF efficiency.
The experts are not, however, agreed on these
points, and the Admiralty has been exposed TO
much criticism on the reorganization OF the
naval forces and its shipbuiding policy. There
have been many rumors of dissension in the
Board Of Admiralty and its silence on important
issues has been so inscrutablc that Lord Tweed
mouths optimism is not convincing.
There is such embittered controversy over the
details Of military and naval reorganization that
the government does not receive credit for inn
proving the fighting services. Without doubt 1t
is cutting down the cost OF the army and the
navy, and retrenchment may become more popu-
lar when Il is worked out in a reduction Of tax
alton. At present It is exposed to the partisan
cry Of penny wise pound foolish economy, which
VIII ultimately he found highly costly when the
standards by land and sea have been lowered
below the point OF safety. Retrenchment is,
however the only course open TO a ministry
committed 10 the defence of the existing fiscal
system The resources OF Free Trade finance
have been strained TO the uttermost by the cost
OF military and naval ornaments II preparations
for war were to continue the same scale OF
steadily increased expenditures maintained dur
ing the last decade. a revenue tariff would be-
come indispensable as a measure for broadening
taxation. The ministry springs to the defence of
Cobdenism when it brings pressure TO bear upon
the army council and the Admiralty and forces