The Progress of the World. 



137 



Members of Parliament visit the Fleet and realise the Peril in the Air. 

 Commamlcr Samson in hi-. liyilropLine flying over the AriiuiJa/c CaslU: Tile fleet in llic background. 



The lack of provision for 



An Emergency ■i'-'^"'' Construction arose un- 



Measure. doubti;(ily from tlie fact 



that the whole c]uestion of 

 oil fuel and internal combustion engines is 

 under vigorous discussion. The ap[)arent 

 neglect of an increase in men depends also 

 on the same discussion. Mr. Churchill is 

 confronted with two problems of j)eculiar 

 importance. First, the question of oil above 

 alluded to; and secondly, the bridging over 

 of the immediate international danger period. 

 With regard to the latter point, and with- 

 out preiudice to the former, why should we 

 not purchase ready made the princi|)al 

 Dreadnoughts now being built in this 

 countrv for the lesser States? It would be 

 good business to buy these at even increased 

 rates. We could probably convince the 

 prospective owners, who depend for their 

 existence upon the British Navy, that it is 

 in their best interests to concentrate the 

 battleships of peace under one flag. In this 

 way half the Mediterranean Fleet would 

 be found |)ractically ready made — the 

 Dominions could thus present their Dread- 

 noughts at once, and prove that Lord i''islier 



was wrong when he said, " \ ou can't go 

 round the corner and buy a battleship." 



It is gratifying to us to 

 Increased Naval Pay ji^yg to record that the 



Estimates. Admiralty have not only 

 decided to increase the 

 pay of all lower deck ratings, but have 

 already drafted out the revised scale 

 of pav. This shows an increase of from 

 fifteen to twenty per cent., and this 

 increase will probabl)' come into force 

 almost at once, since the opposition 

 at the Treasury is not likely to be any- 

 thing but half-hearted. \\ lien we ilealt 

 with this matter last month we pointed 

 out how incredible it was to think that 

 the men who are the most vital assets of 

 the Empire, since they alone make the 

 British Navy a force, should be paiil on 

 a scale out of all projiortion to the increased 

 cost of living. It is another featiier in tlu 

 cap of Mr. Winston Churchill that he lias 

 not wasted any time in coming to tiie root 

 of ariairs, and is obviating anv |)ossibility of 

 discontent amonjist the men of the Navv. 

 This and other special contingent votes will 

 cause the ICstimates to show an increase of 



