The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-24
No Let Up in the Contest for
Naval Supremacy.
France Sees a Lesson in Great
Britain's Procedure.
SHE VIEWS WITH REGRET
Italy and Austria About to
Build More DreadnOughts
Which VIII Give Big Advan-
tage to Triple Alliance.

Paris, July 24.-That the world is not
vet on the eve of the cessation of the
struggle between Great Britain and
Germany for naval supremacy is the
prevalent opinion in France after care
ful study of the recent speech by.Wins-
ton Spencer Churchill in tie house OF
commons. The continuation of rivalry
between those two countries causes a
note of regret here; but there is an
inclination to believe that if it must
go on France should learn a lesson
fl ON England's procedure and herself
increase her navy.
The Matin commenting on the sub
ject says it is in a position to declare
that Italy and Austria at the instiga-
ton of Germany are about to build
additional uperdreadnoughts in re-
gard to which nothing has been per-
mitted to transpire. Italy is to COZ
struct six of these vessels each of 90
00c tons displacement and capable Of
steaming at a speed of 25 knots. while
Austria is to build three each of them
displacing $4,000 tons. The newspaper
continues:
THE fulfilment of this program will
destroy the present naval equilibrium
III the Mediterranean and give a big
advantage to the triple alliance"
Will Have 25 BattIeships.
Berlin, July 24.-Such progress has
been made with the strengthening of
the German navy, voted almost unani-
mously during this years session of
the reichstag, that it now is officially
announced that the new third squadron
of eight battleships will be commits
stoned by the autumn of 1914, far ear
lier than had been thought possible.
This viii bring the active battle fleet
up to % battleships in full commits
sion. Crews for the four battleships
of the reserve squadron which accord
ing to the same law are to be kept
in full readiness for sea at all times
will not be available probably for two
or three years after the ships are
commissioned, and so it is pointed out
here that the alarmists in the British
press and parliament are premature In
assuming the presence at sea of 20 fully
manned German battleships in the au-
tumn of 1913.
This increase in the German feet.
according to a statement of a respon-
sible German diplomat solely is due tc
the provocative Mansion House speech
of the British minister, David Lloyd
George, delivered at the height of the
Morocco crisis in 1911 which has not
been counteracted by the more con-
cilliatory utterances of Mr.. Lloyd
George this year or by Sir Edward
Grey's reference to the Improvement
in Anglo-German relations.
The extra expenditures entafIed by
the army and navy board are contem-
plated cheerfully by the Germans who
find much more to worry them in the
increased cost of living.
While the total charges of the Ger
man army and navy including this
years increase is less than So per head
per year, German economist. Dr.
Goldstein, has computed that each Ber-
liner will pay approximately 50 more
for meat this year than he would have
paid ten years ago. For the normal
family of five or six, this represents
an extra drain on the family excheduer
of $25 or $50
DR.. Goldstein arrives at his figures
by taking the total dressed weight OF
cattle, sheep. swine, etc, slaughtered
for Berlin consumption annually and
this by the increase in the
retail price per pound. as shown by
the officials statistics over the average
price ten years ago. For Greater Ber-
lin, the total cost is about $1s,00O,00o