The Sun TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1914. AUSTRALIA AND THE ADMIRALTY

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 57, 14 April 1914, Page 6

The Sun TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1914. AUSTRALIA AND THE ADMIRALTY

Australia has as little reason to be satisfied with the Admiralty's change of front on the naval question as New Zealand. The important statement made by Senator Millen sets out very clearly how the Admiralty has broken faith with the Dominions. As a matter of fact, the Imperial authorities never seem to have, made the slightest attempt to give effect to the decisions of the Naval Conference .to which they summoned the representatives of , the Dominions in 1909. If they subsequently came to the conclusion that : the conference was nothing more than a polite futility, and its conclusions worthless, they should have given Australia and New Zealand some hint of their intention to treat the agreement arrived at as waste paper. It will be remembered, perhaps, that great expectations were formed of this conference. Parliament was adjourned in New Zealand to enable Sir Joseph Ward to attend; Australia sent its Defence Minister, Colonel FoxtOn, and it was thought that a new chapter in Imperial relations! had been opened. The Admiralty set the seal of its approval on the steps Australia was taking to establish a naval force of its own to replace the naval squadron then doing duty in Australian waters, and did its best to persuade New Zealand to join forces with Australia. On the latter point the Admiralty was unable to overcome the objections of Sir Joseph Ward, and it is a matter of history how it was decided that New Zealand should assist in the maintenance of a fleet unit in the Far East. Australia has since gone on boldly with her naval programme, and the result is that the exceedingly inefficient vessels formerly maintained by the Imperial authorities on the Australian Station have given place to others of a modern type flying the Australian flag. Fears are sometimes expressed as to Australia's ability to maintain a powerful naval force, and ridiculous estimates are sometimes put forward by irresponsible politicians and newspapers as to what the Australian Navy will ultimately cost. The national wealth of Australia is growing very fast, and it is foolish to attempt to set limits on what Australia may be able to afford in the matter of a naval force. Put plainly, the objective of Australian naval policy is the safety of Australia regardless of what may happen in Europe or anywhere else. Australia has no faith in the capacity of Great Britain to protect her from Asiatic aggression, and does not believe that Britain would raise a little linger in support of the White Australia policy. Fortunately for Australia, there is no immediate danger from Japan, but Australia desires to be in a position to keep the .'Japanese out should they ever'attempt to secure admission to Australia 011 the same terms as Europeans. And there is no other way of doing it except by providing a naval force that would be respected by the Japanese.