Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-05
BRITISH NAVY GROWS
England Builds Two Battle.
ships to Germany's One.
ARGUMENTS PRO AND CON
Aims to Be as Strong as the Two
Strongest Nations.
NOW SEEKS SMOKELESS FUEL
Her Naval Policy Forces Other
Countries to GO to Needless
Expense-Brazilian Activity.
NOW SEEKS sMoKELEss FUEL
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago ord-Herald.
AT SEA, SIS. CEDRIC, October 30
The naval program of the BRUSH au-
miralty is based upon the theory that,
to maintain it's supremacy upon the sea,
the British fleet must be twice as strong
as that of Germany, and equal TO mat
of Germany and France, or any other two
nations combined. To carry out TINS
program, whenever Germany lays the
keel of a battleship or cruiser Great
Britain lays the keel of two, and In
doubling the construction plans OF Ter
many will be involved in an expendl-
ture of $3.50, OGO,0O or more for new ships
during the next few years and an IN
definite sum in addition to provide the
stores, the supplies and the men that
this scheme of naval expansion will re-
quire. This is what the British admiralty
calls the 'Two-Power Standard" and it
means that the navy must be maintained
of a. size and strength that Will enaple
it to conquer the next two strongest
powers in the world combined
Argument for Increasing Navy.
All this seems stupenduous folly when
the nations involved pretend to be
friends, and are in daily communication
when their sovereigns are exchanging
visits and embracing each other in the
presence of admiring throngs. But those
who favor the 'TwO-Power Standard
insist that it is the only way to prevent
war: that no enemy will attack Great
Britain so long as her fleets are in
vincible. They argue that it is much bet
ter for all concerned to spend several
hundred millions in the purchase of ma
terial, in paying the labor of construc-
ton. giving employment and food to
thousands of people, than to involve the
country in bloodshed and strife. Per-
haps there is something in this. but We
are supposed to be living in an age of
reason and not in an age of force, and
one would think the German kaiser. the
bug-a-boo of Europe. who is blamed for
all the signs and apprehensionS Of war,
and is held responsible for these enor-
nous expenditures upon the ships and
armies of Europe. might be persuaded by
his genial uncle to abandon his military
pride and agree to a program of peace
for at least a term of years. This
would relieve the taX-ridden subjects of
all the European governments of an awful
burden because German and British
naval expansion involves SO many other
nations, including the United States, IN
similar expenditures.
What Britain Is Doing.
In view of the fact that Germany has
laid the keels or ordered the construc-
ton of ten armored ships of the largest
size and most powerful armament, the
British government has under construc-
ton or has ordered twentyfour battle
ships and cruisers Of the Dreadnought
and Indomitable classes, which all naval
experts concede are the most formidable
fighting machines that human genius has
ever designed. On this 10th of Septem-
TENDER the eighth battleship of this class
took to the water at Portsmouth. 1t was
christened the ST. Vincent: and two more,
the Colngwood at Davenport and the
Vanguard at Barrow, almost exact dupli-
Gates. will be launched during the next
few weeks: making ten battleships OF
the Dreadnought type already atioat in
British waters.
The keel of the Foudroyant was laid
down on the stocks at Portsmouth as
soon as the st. Vincent left them, and
will be ready for launching in October,
1909. The st. Vincent Will be ready
for commission in about a year. 1t was
year and day on the stocks
The st. Vincent is considerably ahead
of the Dreadnought. and the Foudroyan:
will be considerably in advance of the
ST. Vincent. having a greater displace-
ment a greater speed. more powerful
turbine engines and a heavier armament.
The following table will show a COM
parson of the three latest English battle
ships: