IMPERIAL NAVAL DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 166, 14 July 1903, Page 5

IMPERIAL NAVAL DEFENCE.

ATTITUDE OF AUSTRALIA.

A NAVY LEAGUE ALARMIST.

A public meeting was held a few days ago at the Royal Exchange, Sydney, to consider the relations of Australia to the naval defence of the Empire, and to hear an address from Mr H. F. Wyatt, special envoy from the Navy League in England. There was a fair attendance, and Mr J. B. Johnston, president of the chamber of commerce, presided. Mr Wyatt, in the course of his address, dwelt at length on the present war cloud in the East, and painted a lurid picture of what might happen in the event of the overthrow of the old country. "Vast regions," he said, "not only in the northern territories, would be annexed by the great powers of the world with wHSm you were at "war> while, in New South Wales and Victoria, strangled and ruined by the pressure.of a hostile naval power, with I your banks closed and even* town that could be bombarded from the sea falling .m ruins about you ; you would curse the hour in which7.instead of striking in one spot, namely, the fighting line, as part and portion of the navy of the 1 Empire, where your strength could be of use, you withdrew it from the Scene' where your victory was to be decided, and waited patiently on the ; event." He urged' that all should enrol themselves as members of the league. Sir George Dibbs moved— "That this meeting applauds the aims and objects of the Navy League,- and approves its efforts to point out, through the present mission of Mr Wyatt, that the naval defence of the Empire can he accomplished only if; it be treated as a single whole, and not as a separate tune lion of the Empires various parts." There was no doubt, he said, that trouble was threatening on the Continent, and Russia was laying herself out for a fight. Mr Carruthers supported the motion. Commander de Hoghton said that a Russian officer had told him in conversation that if war had broken out in ISBS his orders. were to take Hobart, and there was no doubt that Hobart would be at the mercy of any one cruiser that attacked it. A member of the audience rose to oppose the views expressed by Mr Wyatt, and said that he thought Australia should be left to look after her own naval defence., . '"._'.' The chairman ruled the speaker out of order, and the motion was then declared carried unanimously,, ______