Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-11-24
BRITISH MARINE
POWER IN PERIL
FIELD MARSHAL DEPL0RES
MILITARY WEAKNESS
Lord Roberts Points Out Comparative
Ease with Which Germany
Could Land Army in
England

LONDON, Nov. 23.-Speaking in the
house of lords tonight. Fled Marshal
Lord Roberts expressed the conviction
that lack of a military force sufficient
to make hopeless the attempt of an in
vasion would in all probability be the
cause of the loss of Great Britain's su-
premacy at sea.
In a studied speech he pointed out
the comparative ease with which Ger
many could land an army on the shores
of England. Under present conditions
England would be forced, he said, to
submit to most humiliating demands.
Lord Roberts disclaimed all hostility
to or fear of Germany, but he declared
that the defense of the islands required
immediate attention.
There should be an army so strong In
numbers and efficient in quality that
the most formidable of foreign nations
would hesitate to make a landing in
England.
He had ascertained that vessels cap
able of accommodating 100000 men al
ways were available in the northern
parts of Germany, and that as result
of the new German service law 100000
men could be collected in the districts
of the nearest port without trouble.
w OOASN@hS aSeiSS
The great German steamship lines
were in constant practice embarking
and disembarking, and as the railroads
were owned by the state all preliminar-
les to the actual dispatch of troops
could be carried out with the utmost
secrecy.
Germany was perfectly aware, the
field marshal continued, that it would
be essential for her transports to evade
IL .I,s. w
distract attention by small raids when
disembarking, proceeding undisturbed.
1T would be folly" declared Lord
Roberts, ito shut our eyes to these
possibilities, however much we desired.
Startling events in the near east have
brought home to the most careless OBJ
server that nothing could save that
country which is not prepared to pro-
tect itself.
IF Great Britain continues to neg
lect the most ordinary precautions, she
may some day find herself in the
hands of the invader.
This danger is daily becoming more
threatening. Within a decade Ger
many has created the greatest sea
Britain, and at the present moment it
is formidable. Great measures are be-
ing taken to increase that power.
Germans Already There
1T is calculated that there are SO,-
900 Germans in employment in Great
Britain. They are trained soldiers and
if a German force once landed on these
shores they would be ready to help"
Lord Roberts contended 1t was not
absolutely essential for a nation to
command the sea in order to carry out
an invasion A temporary local COM
mand would suffice and this was we'll
understood in Germany
The main temptation to an invasion
of Great Britain was the want of a
home army, which ought to consist of
a million men Across the narrow sea
were 60, 200 900 Germans, who, by per-
severance, industry, sound education
and military training, had made them
selves a great nation They required
outlets for their commerce and popu-
lation.
1t was Great Britain's desire, con-
tinued Lord Roberts, to find out in
what way the great increase in Ger
many's sea power was likely to affect
her and to adopt measures necessary
for her defense.