The Canadian navy according to the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad evening edition dated Thursday 11 November 1909

The Canadian cabinet intended to send a proposal to the Canadian parliament for the building of some 2^nd class cruisers and destroyers. The parliamentary year was just opened as the leader of the opposition the conservative representative Monk (1) started his battle against these plans. Last Tuesday evening he held a speech for his voters at Lachine in the agricultural district Jacques-Cartier and during which he opposed against the naval plans of the cabinet. Building of a Canadian navy resulted in what he called a complete new policy and the cabinet wasn’t authorized to do such without having asked for the opinion of the voters. He thought that these plans were far too expensive for Canada as it all ready was known that the annual expenses were about 4.000.000 pound and he doubt if this Canadian fleet was such an confirmation of the British supremacy at sea. If Canada accepted these plans resulted that Canada take part in the arms race between the European countries which complained about the expenses for the navies and the armies. The newspaper The Times was upset by this speech and her correspondent at Ottawa and feared that this act of Monk was a serious threat for the plans to participate in the British naval shipbuilding and asked the liberal representatives to support Sir Wilfrid Laurier.(2)

American newspapers were also interested in this issue although the general opinion was that they didn’t care if Canada strengthened the British fleet. Just the New York Herald pointed out to the ‘yellow danger.’ Canada was bound with her fleet to England which latter country closed an union with Japan against the whole world and this could be a threat for the USA which could be drawn in a war when Japan tried to assure her supremacy in the Pacific. The New York Sun said something else. If Canada didn’t trust enough the USA navy as a protection for his protection she should have her own navy. The USA would like to stop any attack at Canada if before it was executed.

Notes

1. Frederick Debartzch Monk (6 April 1856 Montreal - 15 May 1914 Montreal), lawyer, professor and politician for the Conservatives between 1896 and 1914 as representative for Jacques-Cartier. As leader of the Quebec Conservatives forces with Henri Bourassa and the French Canadian nationalists in a fight against the Naval Service Bill.

2. Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier (20 November 1841 Saint-Lin, Canada - 17 February 1919 Ottawa, Canada), the 7^th prime minister of Canada between 11 July 1896 and 6 October 1911, Liberal politician. He was responsible for the Naval Service Bill of 1910 enabling the founding of the Canadian navy became possible.