The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-07-10
MIGHTY BRITISH FLEET
ON VIEW TO NATION
Array Numbering 23O Warships
Reviewed by British and
Canadians.
10 ADMIRALS. 10000 MEN
Biplanes Drop Bombs and Sub
marines Divr-ManPuvres
in North Sea.
Spec,si cabie Dsspo,ch TO TINS ST,

huiniTdis ue" tHeif udBS AZ 'hc udNa'
pageant which was arranged here to-
day by First Lord of the Admiralty
Churchill for the edification of British
legislators of both houses of Parliament
who had travelled down from Westminster
to be impressed by the navy's needs.
Two hundred and thirty warships Of all
classes. representing the full strength Of
the Home Fleet with some vessels recently
Withdrawn from the Mediterranean squad
ron. ranging from super-dreatlnoughts to
submarines. manned by ~. 900 OF the Brit
ish navy's $4,000 men, anchored OF Spit
head. 1t was a far more imposing spec
tacle than the coronation review
The warships were moored in six lines
that stretched out for thirty miles when
the inspection feet arrived al the scene
Conspicuous near the front of the line
were the super dreadrought Thunderer
and the big Monarch and Orion. which
represent the last word in the fighting
craft Of England
The Canadian Premier. Robert L.
Borden. and J. ID Ha7en. Minister Of
Marine for the Dominion. as well as E. j
Doherty. Minister Of Justice. and !. p
Pelletier. Postmaster General. who are
now in England 10 consult the British
Admiralty on Canada s naval programme.
attended the inspection.
A dozen Irish NationaiIs,s including
John Redmond. the leader Of the party.
were present at the review. This IL
the first affair of the kind at which
. l., t.,l
The admiralty yacht EnclMntress. with
Premier Asani;h, Mr.. Churchill and other
members of the Cabine, aboard. and the
liner Admiral Castle. with the lords and
commonerr on board. steamed bet tween
the lines OF ~arships.
Then some instructive lessons followed
The members Of Parliament were taken
in tugs to the principal battleships. which
they inspected. making examinations
particularly OF the gun turrets. Mean
while two biplancs sho, out from the
hangers ashore and performed evolutions
over the Narships. Another rose from
the deck Of the battleship London and
dropped dummy bombs. They also wire
lessed the posit ions TO Vice Admiral Sir
George Ashley Gala ghnn. the commander
IN chief. and reported sighting sub
marines from % height Of 500 feet Be-
sides the members of Parliament and
other guests some 10000 unofficial spec
tatms crowded the excursion boats ard
other thousands ashore watched with
grca, interest the cvolntionS of the aero
planes in twenty knot breeze.
Afierward there was mimic attack
by submarines and aeroplanes on he bat :
,leships, which were cleared for action
This was followed by an onslaught by de
stroyers.
The hydroaeroplane gave a fine per
formance. II glided 10 the surface of the
water, res,ed there while its engines were
being tested and then gracefully resumed
is fight. Afterwards the entire feet
went 10 sea for the manpuvres which will
begin OH Thursday.
Though to-day the war feet was one Of
the strongest ever assembled it was
pointed out that many effective vessels
vet remained in the naval ports. including
those Of the eighth battle squadron and
the seventh. eighth. ninth. tenth and
eleventh cruiser squadrons as we'll as
ships undergoing repair.
Winston Churchill. FIRST Lord of the
Admiralty. chose the invitation to the
Lords and Commoners as new way
Of imprcssing the needs Of great navy
on the men who must vote the money
II was announced that the mannuvres
were 10 be held in the North Sea, and
although the plans We're secret the general
problem set for the feet was the defence
OF England against supposed raid by
troODs under naval convoy
The ships were divided into two fleets
for the manpuvres the Red" feet con-
stituting the defending force under Prince
Louis Of Battenberg.
The Blues" were to he the attacking
ing twenty battleships, OF which eight
were dreadnoughts and one dread
nousht cruiser.
Comment In the morning papers on
the fleet review Ia not general. but when
made II Is for the most part with party
bias and reference TO the much dis
cusscd abandonment Of the Mediter-
rancan."
The Liberal Chronicle calls II AN un-
paralleled fighting force" and then pro-
ceeds to lament the huge universal ex-
penditurc on engines OF naval warfare
II expresses the opinion that the fleet Is
sufficient for England's needs, the
strategy of the moment requiring con-
Ccntratlon AT "A vital point. and that no
addition Is needed from the Mediter-
ranean.
The Radical NCWS In IA leader pro,es
that these reviews teach nothing. Their
increased frequency does not compcn-
safe for the secrecy of the manWuvrcs.
The paper expresses the fear that III.
members of Parliament. influenced by
,he glamour ~ the present review, will
open the purse for Mr.. Churchill too
wide The NCWS declares that ii Is i'm
possible for Great Britain to maintain
absolute supremacy Of the seas \ navy
sufficient for the defence of the British
Isles. II says IL quite enough
The Tory ETprfss says the fleet rep
resented practically the whole Of the
British navy.
It's collection" says the paper, was
only made possible by the fact that we
have abandoned all foreign stations So far
az hattlcships ar" concerned. n
thor" wcr" now M many battlcships On
foreign stations a. there were eight
years AK" there would have been only
twenty seven instead VI forty -fuIr at
Splthead