The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-29
BRITISH FLEET IS NOW FAR STRONGER
 AND SEAS ARE CLEAR
Comments on Parliament Members Serving at the Fr0nt-Sir Henry Dalziel Also Speaks

has become, and is likely to continue for sometime, a contest of endurance, Pre- mier Asquith told the House of Commons this afternoon while making a general re- view in moving the adjourn ment of Parliament from to- morrow until September IA.
 The premier remarked:
 We should be ungrateful and insen. sible. indeed, if we did not recognize ai this moment the indescribably gallant efforts being made by our Russian al. lies to stem the tide of invasion and to retain inviolate the integrity of their pos. sessions.
 'I don't think in the whole of military history there has been a more magnifi. cent example of discipline and endur. ance and of both individual and collec. tive initiative than has been shown by the Russian army in the last seven weeks
 Italy Prepared
 Our new ally, Italy, is carefully pre- pairing movements, steadily gaining ground, making their way toward the objective which we believe in a very short time will be within their reach"
 The premier declared that the govern ment's confidence of success in the Dar- danelles was undiminished
 The premier emphasized his confidence in the victory of the French and British armies in the western field.
 Referring to the fact that next week would see the completion of a year of war. MT. Asquith remarked that the world never had seen a more miraculous transformation than had taken place in this country in the outward manifesta- tions of its life.
 Tho British fleet was today far stronger, the premier continued than at the beginning of the war. and to it's quiet and unobserved, but ubiquitous and all powerful activity, is due the fact that the seas are clear, or substantially clear
 For. after all" continued the premier, no power is going to inflict fatal or sub stantial injury on British trade The seas are clear. We have our supplies of food and raw ma terials upon which we and the rest of the country depend flowing upon in the same abundance and with the same freedom and I may say without much exaggeration, judging from the insurance rates and other matters, with the same fvx,x, x,x<lf fv1x ~I. T risks as in time of peace"
 Navy Vigilant
 Continuing, Premier Asquith said.
 'The navy so far Mas been denied the grim and glorious fight. but it is through its unrelaxing vigilance and the supreme skill with which it has been handled that this country today can laugh at the scare of an invasion. and that we. to an extent unknown by any other of the belligerent powers, are immune from the actual ravages and dangers of war;
 Glancing around the House, the prime minister remarked
 This Is a sight unknown for 100 years; this aggregation of members equipped family represented in the House, and the House Is typical of the whole coun- try. which has not given its hostages in sons or brothers"
 Speaking of recruiting, Premier Asquith said:
 The latest reports are among the best we have had for a long time"
 The premier concluded with note of caution to the country. in which he said
 Do not let us suppose that our na- tional duty Is discharged either by send ing an adequate influx of recruits to tho army or to the various industries en- gagged in the fabrication of munitions The duty has been cast upon this coun- try not only of maintaining the freedom of the seas; not only of supplying large contingents of men. men equipped for the battlefelds and trenches. but also of fi- nancing to a large extent the whole conduct of the war.
 Maintain Industries
 We cannot do that If we continue to import and to increase our indebted ness to other countries and unless we maintain our great manufacturing indus tries"
 Premier Asquith urged the accumula- ton of a large reserve of gold and the use of householders and employers.
 He characterized as calumny the statements in a section of the press. which he described as melancholy and notorious exceptions to the newspapers as a whole. that the people of this country had failed to rise to the ex- pected height of this great occasion,