Extract from the Westminster Gazette, 18 May 1908.

Reference: McKenna Papers, MCKN 3/4/8

"The German general public seem to be following their leaders in taking umbrage, because British writers draw more attention to the tremendous shipbuilding activity of the German Navy and to the rapidly increasing fighting strength of the German Navy concentrated in the North Sea immediately opposite the coast of Great Britain. They feel themselves hurt, even indignant and embittered, because Germany is the Power pointed at, and little comment is made at the steady naval progress of other Powers, such as France, the United States, and Japan. We know that the most exalted in the German Empire, as well as German naval officers, without exception reproach British statesmen, the British Admiralty, and British writers for what is described as "injustice". ...

They submit, and I fully acknowledge the truth of what they say, that they are not building with aggressive designs against Great Britain; but, on the other hand, Great Britain should be considered entitled to show that the German programme is excessive, and that it is inconvenient because it necessitates superfluous expenditure on the part of Great Britain. The Germans retort that they commenced to build "Dreadnought" type ships because they were forced to follow the example of England, and that, therefore, Britain's reproaches are unjust! They add that they drew up their naval programme in 1900, and that no addition whatever to the demands then made by their Admiralty has been introduced, the changes as regards fighting strength and expenditure being the result of the introduction of the new type of battleship."