SIXTY YEARS OF COLONIAL DEVELOPMENT.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9703, 15 April 1897, Page 2

SIXTY YEARS OF COLONIAL DEVELOPMENT.

TO THB EDITOR OP THE PRESS. Sib, —Your issue of 6th inst., with your article under the heading, came under my eye only this morning. I had missed it on the day of issue. The sketch given by you from Sir C. Duke is a most striking epitome of a most wonderful and glorious development of the wealth of the British Empire, a wealth which, if properly applied, should lead also to an equally wonderful development of

power. YoUrS Js an article, sir, to set the British colonist thinking ; one to make him proud of the Empire under which he lives } to cause him to ponder—how can he help to apply this great colouial wealth so as to increase the Imperial power. ■ I have, read somewhere, though unfortunately I cannot locate the source of my infornitition, an estimate of the Wealth of the British Empire in bygone days, an Empire then confined practically almost to the British Islands alone. What that wealth amounted to I cannot now remember, but, if my memory doe 3 not fail mc, it did not exceed that of the Australasian colonies ad estimated by Sir Charles Ditke. Yet at that time ( sir. England was already a.great Naval Power ; and, even in those old days, 3ltn6sfc ruled tho waves. True in those times she had few or no colonies to protect, and, therefore, her naval forces had less need for dispersion than at the present time. Now, when tho colonial wealth has reaohed such colossal proportion., why Bhould the colonies require so much parental protection as they are offered, and, I think I may say, as they demand. They pay a Certain small subsidy to the Imperial Treasury towards the cost oi naval protection to their shores and to their lines j of commerce, and in return they are too much inclined to demand that a certain proportion of the naval forces should be permanently stationed on their coasts. I have said a small subsidy, I do not remember the amount; but those who were present at the interesting address given by Lord Brassey some few weeks ago On Iraperialdeferice Will hardly have forgotten the pointnVtidebj- Sir> John Hall—and a: most striking pdint it was—when be compared the cost per head to the -British population of the naval expenditure for 1896 and that to the population of New Zealand for their subsidy towards the fit-fence of their coast and commerce by the British, Navy. The British contribution por head o. population was 10s to l_s, that of New Zealand 7d. Whether the Australian subsidies are on a more goneronS.sCttle or hbfc 1 do not know. But unleßS they are it is but a poor boast, that the Australasian colonies can do no' better for their own protection than a subscription of 7d per head of their population. We have the Navy League in our midst. The avowed objdot of the League is "to urge upon tho nation (British) the paramount importance of an adequate navy as the best guarantee of peace." . . Let bur branches of the League rather locate their efforts and endeavour to stir up our own little nation, so that it may force our Governmenb to take more adequate steps towards our own defence ; and, in so doing aid, if even in but a small degree, that of the Empire in general. I do not know for eertaih if the Navy League has a habitation it: the neighbouring colonies of Australia, but I should fancy that where Lord Brassey is there will the Navy League bo also. If, at the next meeting of our General Assembly, a Bill could be passed, making a handsome increase to our Zealand subsidy, passed within the limits of this Jubilee year, it would constitute a further celebration of the Record Reign* one that would have a more powerful effect at Home, and to the World generally, than the presence iv the Jubilee prooession of our Premier with his piebald retinUe. What will the British public think of that display when they know that the men who take part therein subscribe but 7d apiece to the protection of the Empire. We have a grand object lesson going ou before our eyes, over in Australia---the formation ,of the federal Commonwealth. Should it reach the effective consummation so much to be desired, it will be the grandest celebration made by any part of the Empire "ln this year of Jubilee.. And if it do.attain the de3ired end, surely -then. sctniething more worthy off Australia witi .be done towards tho defence of the_Jßi*ilifrh Empire in its entirety. ' ■ ;'■"'-.•"' I heard a curious spechla'tioh put forward by a friend some., years, ago. "Will the Australian colonies „yerr go to war with each other, as different.- States' have done in Europs ._" .Such a thing might have been within _je bounds of possibility. The com-monwealth,-if attained,, should surely relegate such a contingency to a very far distant future. ;■*'. .New Zealand is not inclined to join the federation—and," perhaps, Wisely so. But could she not enter into a formal ti-eaty of defe naive alliance ? I will not say offensive and defensive, for peoples do at times go mad, and Australia might possibly go to war on her own account with some neighbouring Power—say Japan for the sake of argument. New Zealand then need not follow in her wake. Though, should ib be the other way round, she should go to the rescue with ships and men and guns.—Yours, &c, Jacob o_k_*us. April llth, 1897.