Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-04
.EARL ROBERTS SHOWS
NEED OF DEFENSES
Discusses Possibility of In
vasion and EngIand's
Means of Resistance.
Foreign Correspondence of The Star.


LONDON. February ls. 1911.
In an address at Coventry on the pos
sibility of a foreign invasion of Eng
and, Earl Roberts said he could quite
imagine why many people in the country
had never given much thought to the
matter of the unsatisfactory state of the
home defenses. 1t was because they had
been brought up with the idea that the
invasion of this country was an impos-
sibility, and that SO long as they had
powerful navy they could rest in their
beds" and have no thought about the
safety of their homes. That there should
be such general idea of security and
Immunity from danger was perhaps not
altogether surprising seeing that since
the Spanish armada no enemy had ever
attempted to land on the shores of Eng
land. There had been ,scares since, and
one of those caused the creation of the
volunteer force. The fact was that the
volunteer force had never been taken I'D
seriously by the nation. 1t had been
looked upon more as a national sentiment
IMAM as a reality or necessity. Now 1t
was the same with the territorial force
The people could not believe that this
/ rorcs would ever be required to defend
their country from invasion, for if they
did 1t was impossible that they would be
content to intrust such a supreme duty
to less than 100000 unframed men and
officers. He confessed that that feeling
of security astonished him. It was a
| false security. and could only be felt by
people who were either too apathetic to
inquire what was going on in the world
around them or were ignorant of the
changes that were taking place
Naval Supremacy Challenged.
They were not now in the position of
twenty or thirty years ago. Unfortunate
| ly for England now her naval supremacy
was being challenged. Other nations be-
sides Germany were building ships as
large and powerful as those of Great
Britain, while Germany alone was rap
idly overtaking them in the number
speed and power Of her new vessels. They
had allowed their much-vaunted two
power standard to become little more
than a one-pOWer standard. They I'D
forgotten what nationhood was when
they were content to rest without the
only kind of army which could prevent
this country being invaded by foreign
force. The National Service League de-
sired the country to create a reliable
citizen army to defend their shores
against attack. The first naval lord held
the opinion that such thing the in
vasion of this country could not happen.
On the other hand four admirals Of
the fleet and not less than sixty other
admirals, had become members of the
National Service League and they sup
ported him in his opinion that such
contingency not an impoSsibillty.
However powerful their navy might be.
it could not. under the circumstances of
the varied demands which would he
made upon it in time of war. insure the
safety of this country, and they must
have. in addition to their navy. citizen
army sufficient in numbers. efficient in
quality. thoroughly reliable and ready to
take the field at moments notice.
A resolution in favor OF imposing upon
every able-bodied citizen of military age
and sound physique the duty of home de-
Tense by the adoption Of universal com
puIsory training with the territorial force
was carried with reclamation