New-York tribune., 1909-06-06
NAVAL FORMULAS
The T1co-Po1cer Standard-Son1e
Fresh Definitions.
London. May 2e.


absurd for ministers to take the American navy
into consideration since there was no comolna-
ton against the British people, reasonably
probable. nav. humanity conceivable which
would include that feet. The Prime Minister
had not excluded America IN his description OF
the two-poEer standard as meaning a pre-
ponderance Of 70 per cent over the combined
strength in capital ships of the two next strong
est powers For partisan purposes the Opposi-
tion has contrasted these utterances in a view
v-itr-alarrn" resolution. and enabled the Prime
Minister, without formal abandonment OF the
+vvo-nower standard to restate IT, with geo
graphical formula added and finally to sunsu-'
tute for It a new phrase unssseilable naval
sunerjorstv against all possible hazards" Where
uron effective debaters like Mr. Lee, Captain
F3ellairs and Mr.. Balfour have contended that
the bottom has been knocked out OF the two
nation standard, and the well drilled majority
has dismissed the resolution as much ado about
nothing So il is
The two-power standard was orlginaliy d
eupbeuism like the Parliamentary legend of
sthe other place" or the old-fashioned habit OF
avoiding names and referring 10 the seats OF
honorable members When England was
building pattleships and cruisers against the
Dual Alliance neither France nor Russia was
named. and the decorum OF debate was MAIN
famed by references TO the two next strongest
mowers The British fleets have been reorgan-
,zea with a view TO warfare in the North Sea
against Germany: but il is considered bad form
10 single cut that power in discussion as pos
sibIe enemy. The twO-power standard is
formula that preserves the amenities OF inter
,a+yonaI relations America is necessarily
dragged in as the second third naval power,
no. that ANYBODY suspects that the Washington
tradition OF abstention from European conflicts
will be abandoned and a coalition formed with
Germany in any conceivable circumstances, but
because the standard Of British naval policy
must remain irpersonal. anonymous and I'M
partial Mr. Lee is a consistent Jealous Anglo
American but he Will not allow the United
States to be excluded from the naval dogma,
although he is convinced that there Will never
be a fight between the two countries; and Mr..
Asouith himself disclairns any intention Of max
ing an exception in favor Of the Washington
government. The standard must remain imper-
sonal. and power, whether in Europe, Amer
ica or Asia. must be ruled in ruled out, even
If The price of a Dreadnought rises 10 two or
three millions sterling.
The necessity for a new definition Of the old
dogma or fetch is not urgent. since the two
nation standard can be applied to the American
and German navies they now summarized
IN the official lists. The Prime Minister will
not admit that he has sacrificed what has been
for twenty years a continuous policy. He de-
clares emphatically that the combined effective
strength of the most formidable two rivals is
very far below the defensive strength OF the
British navy. But he is not blind TO the intol-
cradle burdens Of naval construction which
viii enable England to keep abreast Of two
rival powers, not named. in the interest OF good
manners and impartiality. He suggests quail
hcations which essentially alter the standard.
one Of these is the effect OF geographical condi-
like rer7ose foreign base and |
is the capacity which rival fleets may have tor |
acting in combination The American feet, for /
example. cannot be pun in the same category |
with a European fleet, which is not separated |
from England by the Atlantic; COM |
bination between Germany and America any |
Asiatic power be treated in the same way |
coalition between Germany and Austria alum |
gary or Russia and France. The two-nation /
standard. in other words. requires revision if it
IS 70 remain serviceable. There must be practi !
cal methods of assessing fighting values when /
the naval bases are far apart and divided by |
oceans Geographical conditions will inevitably |
impose limitations upon effective strength in /
aggressive warfare.
These principles were obvious that II was /
hardly necessary for Mr.. McKenna to prove |
that the Admiralty had been acting upon them /
under successive administrations. Distance |
naturally handicaps any feet which attempts to 1
ster Gazette" illustrates the point by assuming /
that America is constructing a feet primarily |
for use in the Pacific, and by arguing that in /
these circumstances II would be irrational for /
England &c provide margin Of 10 per cent /
over that navy and the German feet Apart I
from the colossal expense OF the undertaking, /
there would be serious qualifications to be taken /
into account-the inconvenience Of remote |
bases the impracticability OF effective con1bi- 1
nation and the superiority Of the homogeneous !
British feet over two allied squadrons Ameri- j
Gems not fatuous as TO build a navy by
rule OF thumb that viii be equal TO the COM /
bined strength Of Germany and Japan in CAPT 4
te1 ships, or those than can lie in the line They
are content with ordering powerful fleet Of
effective aehting value in defence against either
power single handed. and IN expert calculations
the disadvantage OF distance and the remote
base is taken into account when the risks Of
foreign attack are estimated Common sense
equally elementary viii compel British experts
sooner or later TO discriminate between the
fighting values Of fleets with European for
eign overseas bases.
The utility Of formula is impaired as soon
as any Limitation IS imposed upon it. SO long
es the two-pover standard implied arithmetical
enumeration of ships. guns tonnage or men it
was easily applied A good working rule be-
comes impracticsbIe when the effects of geo
graphical conditions, remote contiguous
bases or the possibilities Of combined action are
considered. Already the measure has become
uncertain from the dlfHculty of deciding what
vessels can lie with the Dreadnoughts in the
line: and il win become utterly unmanag nageable
Il foreign bases, distance working radius
CT warfare the efficiency Of fleets acting in
combination and other strategic qualifications
gre t-clnded as elements OF value Neither the
Prime Minister nor the First Lord OF the Ad-