New-York tribune., 1918-12-09
n avail Plans
Of L. S. Stir
Great Britain
Presidents Reference to
English Navy and Loss of
$50 Americans Not Liked
BY Frederick Moore
New York Tribune
ENrODe00 Rur,,,,,

'1'-'NptNTt
Copyright. 1918 New York Tribune In,
LONDON, Dec. 7.-The New yo,l
lr'oune's editorial on Wins4o,
ohurchllls speech, in which he do
manded the maintenance of Great
Drltan's naval supremacy is featured
on the front pages of the newspapers
ana comes as timely reinsurance TO
'he MINDS OF large proportion Of the
population.
Although there is a friendly CON
splracy of reticence among numbers
of Americas best friends here. some
are a little perturbed over the recent
naval developments in the United
States Two things have largely con-
tributed to this.
President Wilson's address to Con-
gress, as cabled here, contained twen-
ty-ninc words of reference to the Brit
lsh navy-an allusion to the fact that
o3O OF the 1853 American naval casual
ties have occurred on account of the
sinking Of British transport off the
Orkneys.
Persons here are naturally proud OF
their navy's war achievements and
expected some acknowledgment Of the
part 1t played in carrying American
troops to Europe, but found none
Americas Programme Surprise
On top of this announcement ar
rived the news of Americas pro-
gramme of naval extension, with the
explanation that Americas naval
power would soon equal Great Brit
ans and that the peace conditions will
not affect this programme.
In order to appreciate the attitude
of mind of the ordinary British cit-
zen toward this announcement it is
necessary to realize that during the
past 200 years Great Britain cheer
fully paid the high price of the up
keep of the supremacy of her navy
without the assistance, until recently,
even of her colonies and dominions,
because she believed it was the sole
guardian of the islands integrity. al
though public sentiment always op-
posed its use as weapon Of aggres-
sion
The immediate effect of the new
American naval programme was to re-
call to the minds Of all that Germany's
plans for world which only
the British navy prevented began
twenty years ago with what seemed to
be an enormous construction of bat
tleships. Many Englishmen strongly
believed that if Great Britain had
taken a decisive stand and insisted
that Germany cease building ten years
ago the recent war might have been
prevented. Believing this. they are
genuinely sorry that America appears
to be about to enter a race for naval
supremacy.
Will Maintain Supremacy
1t can safely be said that whatever
happens elsewhere Great Britain will
maintain her naval strength to the
last penny she possesses. because she
regards it as essential to the safeguard -
ing of her existence, which cannot be
placed at the mercy of any interna-
tlonal arrangement
Although the country is ready to
agree to any concerted diminution Of
building which will leave the present
standard of supremacy untouched. or
even to lend her ships as police force
to league of nations still, if any
country but America designed the lat
ter's programme it would be regarded
as menace to Great Britain equal
to that of Germany in the years past.
The entire country desires the race
for naval supremacy ended and there
fore it is unfortunate at this iunct-
ure that statements like some of
those cabled in the past week should
be issued.