Canada Plans To Aid England In War.

New York Times 100 years ago today, July 25, 1912:
Question Of Converting Merchant Ships Into Cruisers Is Being Discussed.
GERMANY'S ALLIES TO BUILD
Italy Is Said to Have Secretly Arranged for Six Super-Dreadnoughts and Austria for Three.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
    LONDON, July 24.— Mr. Hazen, the Canadian Minister of Marine, who accompanied Premier Borden to England, replying to-day to a deputation from the Imperial Marine League, declared that he was violating no confidence when he said that the question of converting merchant ships into armed cruisers in time of war was discussed in the last few days between the members of  the Canadian Government who are now here and the Admiralty authorities.
    In order to make such armed liners effective, added Mr. Hazen, guns and ammunition would nave to be supplied at the ports on either side of the Atlantic between which the vessels ran, so that in the event of hostilities they would, at the earliest possible moment, be placed in a position to resist attack or assist other vessels attacked.
    "It has been suggested," Mr. Hazen said, "that in the event of Canada contributing to the British Navy, that contribution should not be in reduction of what Great Britain should do, but should be a contribution to supplement what she did. That is the view which we have taken here during the deliberations, and which we have tried to put before the authorities.
    "We Canadians feel that, having always lived under the aegis of the British Crown, it is only right and proper, now that we have attained national manhood, that we should co-operate with the Motherland. The feeling is that there can be no naval partnership unless the partners have a voice in the management and guidance of affairs."

    PARIS. July 24.— The Matin says it is in a position to declare that Italy and Austria, at the instigation of Germany, are about to build additional super-dreadnoughts, in regard to which nothing has been permitted to transpire.
    Italy is to construct six of these vessels, each of 20,000 tons displacement and capable of steaming at a speed of twenty-five knots, while Austria is to build three, each displacing 26,000 tons. The newspaper continues:
    "The fulfillment of this programme will destroy the present naval equilibrium in the Mediterranean and give a big advantage to the Triple Alliance."