"As the subject has been raised, perhaps the First Lord of the Admiralty will reassure us on that point," said the Premier.
"Dear, dear, no," replied Causter Kerr blandly. "We couldn't carry it through, Premier. You must not think of going to extremes."
There was a moody silence in which men looked angrily at Kerr and at one another.
"Are we to understand that the navy is _not_ equal to that of any other power?" demanded Mr Vossit.
"On paper, yes, comrade," replied Kerr, with a pitying little smile, "but on deep water, where battles are usually fought, no. It is a curious paradox that in order to be equal to any other single power England must be really very much stronger. I should also explain that from motives of economy no battleships have been launched or laid down during the last three years, and only four cruisers of questionable armament. Then as regards gunnery. From motives of economy actual practice is never carried out now, but the championship, dating from last year, lies at present with the armoured cruiser _Radium_:--stationary regulation target, 1-1/2 miles distant, speed 4 knots, quarter charges, 3 hits out of 27 shots. As regards effective range----"
"Tell them this," struck in Mr Bilch, "they'll understand it better. Tell them that the _Intrepidy_ could sail round and round the Channel Fleet and bloody well throw her shells over the moon and down on to their decks without ever once coming into range. Tell them that."
"The picture so graphically drawn by Comrade Bilch is substantially correct," corroborated Sir Causter Kerr. "The _Intrépide_, together with three other battleships of her class, has an effective range of between four and five thousand yards more than that of any English ship.... But you have been told all this so often, comrades, that I fear it cannot interest you." Sir Causter was having his revenge for two years of subservience at a thousand pounds a year.
"Then perhaps you will tell us, as First Lord of the Admiralty--the job you are paid for doing--what you imagine the navy is kept up for?" demanded a comrade with fierce resentment.
"As far as I have been encouraged to believe, in that capacity," replied Kerr with easy insolence, "I imagine that its duties consist nowadays in patrolling the lobster-pots, and in amusing the visitors on the various seaside promenades by turning the searchlights on."