What does this mean in practice P In view of
the fact, now generally admitted, that the Dreadnought' type has a great battle advantage over the pre-' Dreadnought' types, it means that we shall be obliged to keep at least four 'Dreadnoughts' in the Mediterranean Fleet as soon as the Austrian ships are completed. Even then we shall be trusting to the pre- ' Dreadnought ' ships to give us the necessary margin of superiority. But this means that we must deduct four ' Dreadnoughts ' from theDreadnoughts ' available to face the German Dreadnoughts ' in home waters, and this with- drawal of four 'Dreadnoughts' from home waters will have to take place at the time when, whether we accept Mr. MelCenna's or Mr. Balfour's calCulations, we shall be at the point of greatest disadvantage in comparison with Germany. It seems to us that here is yet another reason for the Government laying down the extra, or, as Sir Edward Grey termed them, the hypothetical, 'Dreadnoughts' without delay.
