The famous HMS Dreadnought: a revolt in naval shipbuilding Drawing by Ron van Maanen
The year 1909 was for the British navy quite an exciting year with almost continuous discussions about her strength compared with that of Germany and the British naval policy for the future. In the newspaper were several telegrams published dealing with this issue.
London, 17 March. In the House of Commons were the general discussions with the budget continued. The parliament member Lee urged the cabinet to start with the building of 8 dreadnoughts. There was no reason for panic but for quick and act decisively. Gordon Harvey (1) who first intended to come with a motion on behalf of the radical economists to disapprove the increase of the budget regarded the friendly relations with other countries withdrew this motion why the cabinet had convinced the House and the country that increase of the navy was a necessity.
London, 17 March. McNamara (2) said that Lee caused with his speed without any necessity nervousness. The cabinet understood the seriousness of what was going on and taken the necessary measures. If Germany started to speed up her building program than she possessed in April 1912 17 dreadnoughts but if England started in April 1910 with the four ships mentioned in the present programme than would England possessed in March 1912 20 dreadnoughts. England also possessed 40 1st class battleships which in 1912 were younger as 20 years. There was also a beautiful flotilla of 35 protected cruisers available and none combination of two naval powers could resist this flotilla. The navy had never been so strong as nowadays and the cabinet had done good work by just asking a necessary minimum. Some nationalists and members of the Labour party disagreed with the increase of the budget and the latter would resist with all means as they claimed. Prime minister Asquith (3) said that when the budget was accepted the 2 naval powers standard for 1912 was aplenty guaranteed while it were not just alone dreadnoughts which determined this standard. A motion which proposed that the budget was accepted article by article was accepted with votes 322 fore and 83 against.
London, 18 March. Again paid the British newspapers all intention to the fleet debate in the House of Commons and all newspapers discussed the strength of the British navy. The Telegraph described the condition of the fleet as a national disaster which surpassed the Boer War! (4) Some of the conservative newspapers blamed the Admiralty especially sir John Fisher.(5) The Mail reported that an investigation in the shipbuilding capacity proved that the British yards were able to built as much as 16 dreadnoughts each year. Lord Rosebery (6) wrote in a letter published in the Times that one results of the fleet debate was the necessity of an investigation of the strength of the British army was sufficient for the national defence. The well known liberal positivist Frederic Harrison (7) pointed out in an extensive letter published in the same paper the necessity of a national military service [conscription?] and the German threat.
Notes
1. Alexander Gordon Cummins Harvey (31 December 1858 Manchester-6 November 1922 Windermere) cotton manufacturer and merchant who belonged to the Liberals and member of the parliament for Rochdale.
2. Thomas James McNamara (23 August 1861 Montreal, Canada - 3 December 1931), teacher, educationalist and who belonged to the Liberals and member of the parliament for Camberwell North, between 1908 and 1920 parliamentary and financial secretary to the Admiralty.
3. Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (12 September 1852-15 February 1928), Prime Minister in 1908-1916. Liberal politician.
4. The First (1880-1881) and Second (1889-1902) Boer Wars in what hat became as the British dominion Union of South Africa in 1910.
5. John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher of Silverstone (25 January 1841 Rambodde, Sri Lanka-10 July 1820 London), admiral and in fact founder of a modern British Royal Navy. He was First Sea Lord in 1904-1910 and 1914-1915. He was the men behind the Dreadnought-concept and warned in 1908 for a war with Germany to break out in mid 1914. Perhaps his main opponent was admiral Charles Beresford (see elsewhere on this web log for the actions of this admiral).
6. Archibald Primrose, 5th earl of Rosebery (7 May 1847 London -21 May 1929 Epsom), a Liberal Imperialist politician which was prime minister 5 March 1894-22 June 1895) secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1886 and 1892-1894 and a patron of the a strong national defence and during the final stage of his political career a fierce critic of the prime ministers Campbell-Bannerman and Asquith.
7. Frederic Harrison (18 October 1831 London - 14 January 1923), jurist and historian, literary critic and also (Positivist) religious teacher and with a special interest for the working class.
