VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE NOTES.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7158, 20 September 1888, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE NOTES.

[By "An Ex-Naval Officer" in the Weekly Press.] On leaving Victoria a week or two ago Sir W. Jervois—than whom there is not a higher authority on the subject of de. fences — congratulated the Australian people upon the progress which had been made in their defences of late years, and the safe position in which they would be if King George's Sound and one or two other places were properly fortified. In alluding to these " ifs " in a recent paper I took the liberty of including Port Hamil. ton, because, though at a distance and not a port of Australia, the possession of this place in case of war would be found of con. siderable importance to these colonies, and the mistake of having given it up would very probably affect the Australias more than any other portion of the Empire. It has, however, been abandoned, and all the discussion in the world will not give it to England again. In view, however, of the rumour which the cable tells us is now current in England that China intends to invade Australia in 1891, it may be interesting to review the causes which led to the giving up of so important a place. It is generally taken for granted that in the event of war with Russia, China would be an ally of England; that whenever Russia becomes troublesome in the Pacific Chinese assistance maybe relied on. The question is a very grave one indeed, and it is very doubtful whether there is any ground for supposing that China would have remained the friend of England, even if she had not been aggrieved by the action of Sir H. Parkes. Sir Henry may or may not be right, it is not for mc to discuss in this column the Chinese question. It bears, however, upon the matter under notice, insomuch that it has been thrown into the scale in favour of Russia. The givina up of Port Hamilton teaches us that Russia can bring greater diplomatic pressure to bear upon China, and with greater chances of success, than England can ever hope for. The occupation of Port Hamilton by England had the assent of China at first. Lord Granville was assured by the Marquis Tseng that the Emperor would offer no objection to its occupation, and it was naturally agreed to that from the day on which Her Majesty should occupy these islands they should be acknowledged by His Imperial Majesty the Empe-or of China as lawfully occupied by England. This agreement was entered into in April 1885, and Sir W.. Dowell had occupied Port Hamilton in obedience to his instructions. Russia was ignorant of this step until some time later. On tbe 10th May the Russian steamer Vladivostock found the British flag flying at the port. In the meantime, Russian remonstrance at Pekin caused the Emperor to change his attitude, and back out of the agreement. The men-of-war on tbe China station continued at Port Hamilton andßussiandiplomacy became moreactive. Englavnd offered to rent the islands which constitute Port Hamilton for £5000 a year and it was intimated to Her Majesty's j Government by China that if the Corean Government made the bargain a demand would be presented from another quarter within ten days for the cession of othe r territory on the same terms. Itwas stated that if we occupied Port Hamilton Russia would be compelled to occupy some other Corean port. The agreement between Lord Granville and the Marquis Tseng on the 28th of April was ignored within a I month, and the end of it all was that England evacuated the place on the understanding that Russia would not seize the islands or take possesion of any Corean territory whatever. With the knowledge of these facts can anyone say that England and China would be allied against Russia? England, in this case, was manoeuvred out of her position in the Pacific, and it was Russia who" exerted the pressure at Pekin, as well as at Tokio and Soul, that made it dangerous to retain the islands whether they were fortified or not. And, moreover, it is well to rememberthat the guarantee of Russia on the strength of which England gave up Port Hamilton was given to China and not to Great Britain. In questions which, may involve both British and Russian interests, China is more likely to become an ally of Russia than of Engla__. This was so in 1885, before the indigoa-ion of China was aroused by recent events, and there can be no possible doubt upon the subject now. Our annexation of Burmah, too, would give to China a fcood field for play. If China and Russia ever become allied against England, whilst Russia operates in Afghanistan, China commencing in Burmah would give our soldiers some tolerably rough work. These powers, in a war with England, would have the advantage of having men inured to a climate, which in itself would be another ally against England, whilst the powerf ol fleet of Russia in the Pacific would De in a position to hold the abandoned Port Hamilton if they wanted to do so There may be grounds for the rumour of China's intentions, or there may not, but it is certain that neither Russia nor China give to the world such dispatches merely for the benefit of the curious. They can make engagements and keep them absolutely secret, and can establish the most delicate understandings without newspaper comment. England cannot do this, and is not in a position to be on even terms with Russia in negotiating with China. Since then, we cannot correct the mistake of evacuating Port Hamilton, we can do nothing more than reflect upon the possibilities of having allied against us two nations with everything, so far as Australia is concerned, in their favour.

But the other "ifs" of SlrW. Jerrols can still be looked at with some degree of hope. Eling George's Sound is not defended, it is true, but if this fact be faced as it should be, the mistake may yet be got over in time. The Sound lies right in the track of all vessels going to the Australian colonies whether by the Cape of Good Hope or the Suez Canal. The nearest points to it are Port Darwin in Queensland, 2100 miles away, and Adelaide in South Australia, 1000 miles distant. As a coaling station for the Australian Squadron its importance cannot be over-estimated, and its'value as a sort of watch tower to guard the western approaches to Australia is very great. Sir Peter Scratchley said " Undefended, King George's Sound may in time of war be occupied by hostile vessels, which, issuing therefrom, might cut off our steamers and merchant ships. On the other hand if defended it would become a most valuable Naval port for vessels of war acting for defence." Other experts' opinions to the same effect have been given, and Sir W. Jervois is evidently at one with them. As the place is still unprotected, the time is not yet ripe for congratulating Aus. tralia upon her secure position. It is the duty of the Imperial Government to provide for the defence of King George's Sound. It would be altogether unfair to expect the colonies to do so, but it is the duty of Colonial Governments to urge the Imperial authorities to complete this work, as the colonies are—fleets, forts, Volunteers and the rest notwithstanding*—unsafe as long as so important a matter is not attended to.

What has been said of King George s Sound is also true with respect to Thursday Island, another undefended place named by Sir W. Jervois. Stores of coal should be made absolutely safe, that is, safe from sudden attacks. If coal is so placed as to be in a position where it can be shelled from the sea it must be removed or protected; if it is liable to capture, the liability must be removed. If these places cannot be protected by permanent fortifications and capable guns, there are several ironclads which would make excellent floating forts, and with » few good guns and torpedo boats would afford at least temporaryprotection. SirW. Jervois said that, without a base near at hand, the wolf of the seas would be kept at a distance. It is of course true that without facilities for obtaining supplies of coal, stores, Sec, with all ports closed to hostile vessels, a cruiser would have difficulties ; but that which happened before may happen again. In 1876-77 at a time when war appeared probable a Russian squadron left Vladivoßtock, and nothing was known of its movements until it turned up at Honolulu ready to act upon Australia if necessary, This squadron was not deterred by any fear of want of coal, the vessels themselves have good speed and good coal-carrying power. The intelligence department of Russia is nearly perfect, and consoling as it may be to know that eventually the wolf would have a rough time, it is to be remembered that consolation is only looked for after sorrow, and the said wolf would, before his little game was stopped, inflict sad havoc amongst the unprotected lambsSir W. Jervois paid the Australians a welldeserved compliment upon the work which they had done, and those " ifs '• with which he qualified his speech may be taken a 9 solemn words of warning to the Imperial authorities, lest the details of the scheme for colonial defences, as regards the increase of material being so imperfect, should cause the financial naval partnership which was concluded last year between the Home and Australasian Government to prove a delusion and a snare.