TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9300, 30 December 1895, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The recent increase in the Australasian Imperial navy is a source Defence. of gratification to every Briton, and one is rather surprised at first to learn that Admiral Bridge, of the Australian equadron, eees in it an element of danger to these colonies. It aeoma, however, that the reason for the Admiral's attitude is that he lias gathered that the late extensive additions to the navy have induced a widespread belief out here that anything like military defence is unnecessary. This, he pointed out io a recent conversation, is a great mistake ; the navy, however, efficient, cannot absolutely protect a country.against all attacks. "I am persuaded," he said, " that the Imperial navy is now so strong that, it' we only manage it properly, no possible combination of foreigners could convey an expedition to , any part of her Majesty's dominions, and oonquer it—not even o> West Indian island." He also believed that the navy was strong enough to protect our ocean trade quite as efficiently as it was protected ia all former wars. But though the navy, is strong enough to do all this, it can guarantee neither the safety of every individual merchant ship nor the safety against injury of every town or small island. There must inevitably be a small percentage of losses among merchant vessels. With regard to towns or islands their safety, said Admiral Bridge, could be practically guaranteed, if in addition to the naval defences already in existence, the people insisted thai; there were properly organised land defences. This did not of necessity imply tremendous fortifications or an elaborate system of submarine mines, but a suitable number of organised fighting men, such a number that to give an enemy any hope of success if he made an attack, would require him to come with a force so large as to lead to his easy discovery. The Admiral recognised that there was a certain section of the public who asked why Aue. tralia should defend herself at all, as the Mother Country was much more concerned in the protection of of trade with the Australian colonies. This, he asserted, was a moat dangerous mistake. He argued that it was eaeential to the existence of Australia that, wherever her markets might be, she should have free access to them, and if there was adequate defence at the Australian end. of the line of communication the British naval strength now was enough to make that line just as secure a3 the lines of communication con* necting with any other exporting country. It is some comfort, under theseciroumstances, to learn that Admiral Bridge considers all the Australian defences, aa far as forte are concerned, are admirably kept ani that the Permanent Artillery throughout Australia is a magnificent body. Iα the opinion of an officer of the Royal Artillery, visiting Australia on furlough, the Colonial Permanent Artillery comprised the finest body of garrison guonera he had ever seen, and. the Admiral expressed a hearty wish that there were more of them. Iα ooncludiug hie remarks, Admiral Bridge said he hoped early in the new year to collect together a squadron of eight vessels and take them to Tasmania, exercising them there and on the way down, io the varioua manoeuvres

which wore so necessary and which ooufa only be done by a squadron. Hβ then in, tended to take a reduced squadron to NeV Zealand, returning to Sydney early j n March. Without being an ularmiet, h e thought it wae of the highest importance that a considerable squadron should be kenfc together aud exerciacd in combination v much as possible, by which means a greater degree of efficiency would be gained than if the ships were kept apart. With in. creased efficiency in her squadron Au3tr»U» would be better able to meet any sud4o Q change in the political atmosphere, which is decidedly " thundery" just now. Considering what a two Veuezuola, penny-half-penny li tt Iβ Iμ Capital aud republic it is, Venezuela People. has lately assumed aa astonishing amouut of importance, aad a great many people have probably learned more about it in the l M j two or three months than they ever knew before. A good many more will, no doubt be surprised to hear that Caracas, the capital of the countrj', has, in common with many cities iv Mexico and South America more of the advauced elements of civilim. tion than are to be found in the great cities of Australia. Accordiug to a recent visitor the streets are of asphalt, aud are traversed ia every direction by tram linej, whicl extend to all the suburbs. Cabs are to bj found in numbers in all the principal thoroughfares. The private houses ar« models of luxury and elegance, aud magnifi* cent squares, illuminated with electricity decorated with equestrian statues, end flanked by fine public buildings, beautify th. city." Outwardly everything baars tbe impression of a European roiinement. And yet one of the sights of chief interest in the city is a church tower, in which the last of the*supporters of the constitutional government were smothered with the smoke of burning sulphur. In the conversations ut the Clubs of the town, the same contrasts prevail. Frock-coated young men will turn from a discussion of a run with the Pytchley to tell one how their digestions have been ruined by the hardships of civil war, or how such a one led a charge against the owner of a mansion on the far side of the street." The writer sums up by deolariug that Venezuela to-day is represented socially by a moral and refined aristocracy, supported by a penniless but contented half-breed population. " Politically it is a mase of violence, fraud, and corruption, utterly untrustworthy in its promises, both to individuals and to nations, aud liable at any moment to overthrow such promises when a new Government arises by force of arms antagonistic to the political creed of its predecessors." President Crespo, whose rule ia said to be more absolute than that of the Czir of Russia, is a man with negro blood in his veins, aud as such is despised Dy the wealthy Venezuelans of pure Spanish descent. The youug Venezuelan is what is called ia the United States uo Anglo-maniac, who speaks Eogliah fluently and copies as closely as he oan the i&uhners and habits of the class whom ho studies when he visits England. He has a particular fondness for following the example set by leaders of the sporting world, and ia not very highly cul.tivated, but withal his home life is peaceful aud refiued compared. to what might be expected of the resident of a State absolutely corrupt iv politics and given to outbreaks of civil war and bloodshed ou the smallest provocation.

According Co English papers, The Poet which impart the information Laureate, with an air of at least semiauthority, Mr Alfred Austin is to fill the long vacant position of Poet Laureate. It is now some three years since the death of Loid Tennyson,' and since then the nation has had to struggle along as beab it could without an official poet, to celebrate in verse of a more or less deathless quality, the weddings and funerals of Royalty, not to mention the arrival of baby princes and princesses. Why the office has remained vacant for so long is not easy to understand. Lord Rosebery had au abundant field oi choice in Sir Edwin Arnold, Sir Lewis Morris, Swinburne, William Morris, William Watson, Alfred Austin, Austin Dobaon, W. E. Henley, to say nothing of the seventy odd minor poets said by Mr Traill to exist in Great Britain. Perhaps the very number of would-be Laureates prevented the late Prime Minister from making up hia mind, for even with the fi&ld narrowed down to the likely «• men there etill remained half-a-dozan or so, each of whom had as good a chanoe as any of the other candidates. For some time after the lute Laureate's death the olaims of each of those who were supposed to be "in the running " were vigorously advocated by a crowd of supporters, but their olamour gradually died away as time went on, and it ia now many months since we heard Of read of any "logrolling" for a position which was apparently. destined to remain utifilled. Now, however, each of the unsuccessful men will have his any on Lord Salisbury's action. Sir Lewis Morris wai interviewed us soon as the news became public, or rather as soon as it was laid that a London journalist was to be chosen. He seems to have taken it " poetically," which is noc quite the same as philosophically, " Ah," he remarked, " then it hae come at last, I'm glad to see. It is better to have somebody than nobody; better than allowing the office to collapse. I had heard thi appointment was to be made soon, but hay« heard nothing officially for three years.\ "What about your own ,?" asked the interviowor. " The public will no doubt recollect Mr Gladstone's letter to mc in '93, and the report by an intimate friend of Lord Tennyson's of a conversation with htm shortly before his lamented death in whict hie wishes were clearly expressed." " Bot" were favourable to you ? " Yea, that ia so.' " You said just now you were glad?" "*• meaijt that my feeling was one of relief that) ' the long interregnum, so mischievous to Bnglish poetry, has at last come to an end." In what manner the appointment of a Laureate will benefit English poetry, is not very clear, but according to a correspondent of the Argus it is distinctly beneficial financially to theperionmostinterested. "According to popular belief," says the writer, "the Laureateship ia worth only some £100 a year, in addition to gifts of wine from the Royal cellais. In reality the commercial value of, or income, from, the Laureateehip is reckoned by experts at £7000 "a year. That is to say, the publishing trade estimate American readers will buy each year £7000 worth of the works oi any British Laureate, irrespective ol the merits of the poetry itself. What the Americans do with these imports is not . known. But they ara an ingenious race. , ' After all, if one of the crowd of mediocrities had to be chosen, Mr Austin is no doubt as good a choice as anybody else. Be has proved that he can be on hand with his little tribute as expedilioualy .aa any of hie fellows and that he can write decent ordinary verse as well. Henley would have writ tec more strongly and vividly, Swinburne more unintelligibly, Sir Edwin Arnold would h+ve indulged 1 in more glowing colour, but as a Poet Laureate fit to rank with the majority ot .past holders of that office Mr Austin wU' probtfblygive every satisfaction.