Canada's Navy, Or England's?

New York Times 100 years ago today, April 10, 1913:
    Mr. Churchill made his speech on the naval budget in the interval during which Premier Borden was providing himself with two months' supply of funds. The Canadian naval debate is likely to be influenced by the declaration of Mr. Churchill regarding his proposed use of the ships to be provided by Canada, New Zealand, and Malaysia. Their identity is to be merged in an "Imperial squadron," to be based at Gibraltar, to cruise about the empire, and to be ready for duty at any threatened point, at home or abroad.
    This ends the British "emergency" as a factor in Canadian politics. A squadron with a base at Gibraltar has no reference to the naval politics of the North Sea, and still less to the strategy of the Pacific. The Japanese could reach either Australasia or British Columbia before the "imperial squadron." Canada's need for a navy, if there is any need, is for one with a base at one of its own Pacific ports, not for one at Gibraltar. This is so because of the reason for which the Canadian contribution is asked. It is because the imperial navy is preoccupied, and is inadequate for imperial purposes, that the colonies are asked to assist the weary motherland. But this raises another difficulty. As Keir Hardie objected in his remarks on Mr. Churchill's speech, the addition of the colonies to the imperial programme is unfair toward Germany. It disturbs the equilibrium which England proposed and which Admiral von Tirpitz accepted. He agreed to a 60 per cent. superiority on behalf of England, but not to 60 per cent, plus whatever the colonies could be got to contribute in aid. Mr. Morrell moved that no contributions ought to be accepted without consideration of the terms by the British Commons.
    That is decidedly like looking a gift horse in the mouth, and refers, no doubt, to Canada's demand that if it contributed to the imperial defense it should have a voice in the imperial councils. The amendment was withdrawn upon Mr. Churchill's dissociating himself from the exact form of Mr. Borden's proposal. Other speakers expressed regret that Canada's gift should come from a divided people. That would be averted if the gift should not be made at all. American interest is less in the navy than in the fact that the decision regarding the navy is bound up with the commercial relations of Canada and the United States.