The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-06
England's Home Fleet.

The new British plan Of naval concen-
tration, which has reduced England's
sea power in the West Indies to three
small cruisers and the China squadron to
four armored cruisers and two protected
cruisers, permits the assembling in home
waters of the powerful feet which has
passed in review before King EDWARD.
And yet it is only the reserve of the Brit
ish navy, the Channel, Mediterranean
and Atlantic fleets remaining intact. 1t
includes fourteen battleships. among
them the redoubtable Dreadnought,
twelve armored cruisers, thirteen pro-
tected cruisers, besides a fotilla Of more
than one hundred torpedo boats, de-
stroyers and submarines. Such a DEM
onstration Of sea power no other nation
could match, not an old ship, not an old
gun in the feet; thirty-ive thousand men
afloat. admirably trained and responding
to A rigorous discipline.
In explaining in an article in the cur
rem number Of the North American Re-
riep England's policy Of naval c
tration Mr.. ARCHIBALD S. HURD says:
Force Of circumstances has compelled the
British authorities to admit that British naval
power can no longer be worldwide, as In the days
when Great Britain held absolute supremacy In
Competition In naval arrAments In
local waters. with the United States on the one
hand and with Japan on the other. was admitted
10 be not only hopeless. but unnecessary. and even
dangerous 10 the mutual interests OF these coun
tries"
With Japan there il a formal compact
that released a powerful British feet from
patrol duty in the China sea, and with
the United States there is an understand
ing hat needs no parchment for it's
validity and force. II may be surmised
that when the American Atlantic battle
ship fleet passes round the Horn on it's
long voyage to the Pacific the venture
will be made on the strength Of the
reciprocal nature of the unwritten un-
~derstanding with England based upon
mutual interests.
Is E%ngland's plan of concentration.
the drawing in of her fighting units 10
form the Channel, Atlantic and Home
fleets, directed at Germany? II is no
doubt so regarded in that, country, and
the following statement by Mr.. HURD
seems to justify such a conclusion:
In view OF the sntent. cordidic with France, the
burden Of naval responsibility has shifted from
the English Channel to the North Sea, and conse.
quentIy the head and front OF the Home Fleet Is
stationed at the More. II consists Of sir battle
ships. Including the Dreadnought, and sig ar
mored cruisers forming the Fifth Cruiser Squadron
II Is intended that eventually this latter force shall
consist Of swift ships of the new battleshlp cruiser
type. with an advantage OF sir knots In speed over
the swiftest German batteshIp and a considerable
superiority OF gun are at modern ranges"
But the broader and more rational
view is that England has awaited herself
Of the alliance with Japan and the under
standing with America to make herself
impregnable against attack at home by
raising her bulwark Of sea power TO its
maximum strength. IL is her answer TO
the alarmists who say that England must
be turned into a great drill amp if the
country is TO be safe against invasion by
the armies Of a Continental power. To
organize a home guard in numbers strong
enough and in training efficient enough
to cope with the legions ofa Continental
nation En- Gland would have to resort to
consumption and oppressive taxation,
which is not to be thought of. So Sir
JOHN FISHER, the Admiral of the Fleet.
and not Field Marshal Lord ROBERTS, Is
the man Of the hour in England, and to
the sailor she pins her faith.