South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-07

had been no fewer than FIVE first
lords of the navy.
Mr.. Lambert continuing said. Il
sincerely hope that II the first lord
should go 10 Paris that ne will not
involve himself in any casuistical
discussions on the freedom or the
seas. but would maintain the right
and duty Of Britain TO protect the
/ ingress OF imports 20 our shores and
manufacturers going from our
shores. The maritime power OF
! Britain has never been used in
| revengeful spirit Our coaling ssa-
I tions were open even 10 the Ger
mans before the war. bat II the
maritime power OF Great Britain he
now weakened the enemy can al
ways grip US by the throat. We.
therefore, want assurance from the
| government that the navy, not the
army, will as in the past. be re-
garded as our FIRST line defense"
SHOWS WEAKNESS
OF BRITAIN'S NAVY.
Lieut.. Commander Craig, speak
tention 10 some weaknesses of the
British navy when the war broke
out He said. In August, 1914.
our fleet lacked many of the Access
series that made a fleet efficient.
Before the war. capital. ships were
granted grudgingly and other
things. which were vital to a fleet
were nonresident. Even our su-
periority in capital ships was a mar
row one. our destroyer force was
utterly insufficient: our submarines
We're outnumbered; there was no
aerial reconnaissance. although
Zeppelins were the eyes of the fleet.
and our armour piercing shells and
, the deck and hull protection OF our
cruisers were greatly inferior TO the
enemy.
Since the beginning of the war,
however. the navy has been in other
( hands and the situation has i'm
proved enormously but when hos
tilities broke out our country was
, gambling on "A very narrow margin
And may / remind you that one
naval disaster would mean the de
possessions had we had an enemy
less lacking in enterprise. than the
Germans proved themselves from q
naval point of view. we might have
found ourselves in a very serious
, case in the early days of the war
Mr.. Craig. after showing. how in
every respect the British navy wa:
much stronger than il was at the
: beginning OF the war concluded his
: speech by saying. 'FPrattlings abou
Freedom of the Seas might b'
, very pretty to peoples of. continental
nations, but TO a people surrounded
by the sea. whose possession Were
flung wide all over the seas, tn,
T. phrase had a different Specification
which J hope will be borne in mine
: in the consideration of the navy
The seas had never been freer thar
: they had been made before the wal
: by the British navy to all ships
faring on their lawful occasion. lie
It never be forgotten, what a period
of grave peril from the naval pCin
of view we passed through durinf
the early part of the war. We
AiAHtu Will utHllHNs e nave utti
forgiven but 1 hope that forgive
ness will not induce US to forge
the lessons of experience Wha
great railroads are 10 continenta
countries, the seven seas are to us
! an island nation. our navy mus
ever be strong, efficient and on
c first line of defense"
/ went away from the British
= house Of commons convinced OF tn
fact that although we American
y may put this or that interpretatioi
= on the phrase Freedom of tn
/ Seas" England has but one interpre
. tatiOn. She will keep the seas ope1
= and free by the might of her navy
She Will not trust 10 this or tina
. league of nations TO regulate traf
i fc on the seven seas. She will pu
y her confidence as an island natiO
: with large possessions, in the Brit
y ish grand feet, which will be in tn
q future maintained to the highes
degree of strength and efficiency.