THE NAVAL CONFERENCE

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 287, 8 June 1909, Page 4

THE NAVAL CONFERENCE

As the question of the Naval Conference lias of late loomed so largely iii this country, and the attendance of the Premier at the Conference in London promises to bo one. of extreme importance in connection with tho coming session of Parliament, itmay not bo out of place to supply a statement briefly indictaing the steps which led. up to tho action of the Homo Government in asking tho Colonial Premiers to meet in London and discuss matters relating to the Navy. A Southern contemporary remarks that "for years the idea of the introduction of the federal principle into th© government of the Britisih Empire has been the dream of Imperialists, and though it luns been the subject of endless, discussion and interchange of opinion, the absence of any direct and compelling necessity to i do something practical "in the matter left things just as they were, and, in the words of Lord Milner, enhanced the danger, of the oversea dominions drifting apart. But the German menace has at last furnished the incentive, and this family council on the subject of defence is the one thing needed to bring the component parts of the Empiro' together and make them consider seriously who- 1 thor " federation or ultimate separation is to- be their destiny. . There can be no middle!; course; all the authorities are agreed upon that, and the Defence Conference will mark the point from which every step ; will lead us definitely either one way or the other." The writer states that briefly, strange as it may 6oem, the idea of holding the Conference is largely duo to the .divergence of opinion in Australia, on the subject of offering Britain, a Dreadnought; together with the .situation created by tlie New Zealand offer, and the Canadian decision to consult the. Admiralty on the question of creating a Canadian navy. On April 17th last tho London Times 'published a nie.siMige from its Australian correspondent, pointing out that opinion was so sharply divided in Australia a,s to the manner in which the Commonwealth should contribute to the defence of die Empire, that- "unless *a clear opinion is expressed hy a trustworthy and expert British authority, the whole question will degenerate into a mere matter of party feeling/ In the same issue, the rimes published a striking editorial, emphasising the principle upon which

. navaJLco-operation could best proceed, and which was laid down by Lord Mihier- in his Toronto speech, when he said: "It is not a question of shifting burdens, but of developing fresh centres of strengtlf." The Times went on to say: "The aim of strategists no less than statesmen should be directed in fact not towards relieving tlie Mother Country of responsibilities by which she would stll bo faced if the dominions did not exist, but towards developing the strength and influence of the Empire as a whole. Tlie problem is to develop these fresh countries in such a way.as not to squander effort and resources in directions -which will not serve tbe common interest or add to the security of all." And tlio writer supplied the following quotation from Lord Milner: "The true line of progress is for the younger nations to be brought face to face themselves, however gradually and however pieemeal, with the'pre-blem of the defence of the Empire, to undertake a bit of it so to speak themselves, .always provided that whatever they, do, be it much or little, is done for the Empire as a whole, not for themselves only, and is part of a general system." ' Finally, the Times concludes with tho trenchant observation that "one of the acknowledged weaknesses of the policy of concentration to which we have •necessarily adhered is. that the flag is: no longer shown as widely as before. The purpose served by a British ship of war in many outlying • seas may be served with equal benefit to the Empire by a Canadian or an Australian or a New Zealand ship." Three days after the appearance of this article, on April 20, Mr Asquith gave the first indication that he had the Naval Conference in his mind, and the. definite announcement was made a .few, days later. __————_——_■———_——■_—■— 1 i , ( ] ( ; ] ] ' * ] '