ABSTRACT
The competition between Great Britain and Germany appeared a little sharper, while the heavy financial cost of the 1909—1910 programme of eight ships added to the exasperation of Liberals and the difficulties of the Government. It was necessary to justify every increase in naval expenditure by reference to Germany, and every reference to German plans and intentions produced angry criticism in the German press. In November 1910 Bethmann-Hollweg gave the British Government the official dates for the completion of German ships. The Prime Minister pointed out that the ‘acceleration or anticipation’ of the German programme of which Ministers had spoken in the debates of 1909 had taken place, and that the facilities in Germany for the rapid construction of Dreadnoughts had also increased. The Liberal and Labour members in favour of naval retrenchment raised the question of German acceleration several times in the spring of 1911, but little general interest was aroused.
