ABSTRACT
The naval position was explained, shortly, and as far as Dreadnoughts were concerned, by Mr. Churchill in answer to a parliamentary question on 16 January 1913. Mr. Churchill made two important qualifications when he suggested a superiority of 60 per cent, in Dreadnoughts. He said that the standard of 60 per cent, superiority was intended only to meet the German programme before the passing of the supplementary law of 1912. Mr. Churchill reintroduced the question of a naval holiday with a reference to Bethmann-Hollweg’s speech. The arrangement depended upon a general agreement among the Powers, but Mr. Churchill thought that, if Germany and Great Britain took the lead, other Powers would be likely to agree. At the Lord Mayor’s Banquet the Prime Minister and Mr. Churchill deplored the extravagant expenditure upon armaments, but Mr. Churchill also mentioned the possibility of an increase in the naval estimates for 1914-1915.
