NAVAL POWERS IN THE PACIFIC.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13250, 19 October 1908, Page 6

NAVAL POWERS IN THE PACIFIC.

If the Navy League aro really anxious to arouse public interest in Now Zealand in naval matters, wo recommend to their notice a map of tho Pacific lately published by a Sydney paper. For one person who realises tho full meaning of statistics showing tho. naval strength of the various Powers thero are twenty to whom statistics convey littlo or no meaning, but who aro at once impressed by pictorial representations of tho facts they embody. And this map to which wo have referred indicates moro clearly than columns of figures could do tho naval strength in tho Pacific of tho different Powers who have immediato territorial interests in that ocean. It shows the coasts of Japan thickly studded with vessels of all sizes. The littlo black strokes" that represent warships cluster far less imposingly round tho west coast of America, England has only a few scattered here and thero round about Australasia, and a few moro in Chinese waters. Chili comes next in numbers, aud other Powers such as Germany, France, and China are but feebly represented. Everyone, of course, knows of Japan's naval superiority in the ocean in which Australasia is most vitally concerned, but this map emphasises that superiority most strikingly, and we can imagine no more potent means of driving tho lesson homo than tho reproduction and display of tho map at some of the lectures which may be given under tho auspices of tho league. With tho American fleet of battleships that is touring the world and the strong homogeneous squadron of eight largo armoured cruisers now at the Philippines, America to-day undoubtedly commands the Pacific. But under ordinary conditions, when the "whito fleet" is in homo waters, which so far has meant the Atlantic, Japan has a lead of twelve battleships, two of which aro Dreadnoughts, while two Inflexibles aro on the stocks. Theso four ships, with two other battleships, tho Oki and Satsunu. are described as being equal to any similar squadron in tho world outside tho North Sea. So far as tho Pacific is concerned, Englanel and America have no battkeliips, and even, if every Japanese battleship disappeared, tho Navy woukS still be equal to the American fleet in the Pacific. At present, it must be admitted, no danger need be apprehended from such a condritiott of affairs. It seems to be recognised' by tlio Admiralty' that the danger-point is - in tho North Sea. Concentration is the order of the day, and th© British £eas bristle with bat-

tle-rhips. Probably they bare not been r.o well guarded for generations. Tho aMi a nee with Japan has yet several years to run, and so long as it exists there will, in all likelihood, bo peace in the Pacific, certainly as between England and- Japan, -while it is difficult to believe that tho lattor Power wiD, owing to internal affairs, be able to fight any other nation, even if it wanted to do £0. But it is by no means certain that tho -Bianco will be renewed--there are somo who a_ ready assert that if tho general outlook is peaceful, a.nd Japan is prospering, she will not seek its renewal. Events may by that timo bare thrown her into Germany's amis, and a German-Japanese alliance would put a very different complexion upon affairs in the Pacific, especially as affecting Australasia. Tho position then would bo that Engkmd would still have to keep as proportionately strong a fleet in Home waters as she does now, and would yet bo compelled to increase* her naval strength in tho Pacific. We in New Zealand can do comparatively littlo towards helping England to prepare for all the possibilities of changed relationships with her ally. If we aro not even yet paying as nrnch towards tho Navy ac wo could afford, tho subsidy is as largo as is prudent, when wo remember that public expenditure in New Zealand must bo reduced beforo long, unilees tlio country is to gallop into bankruptcy. But wo might do more than wo aro doing to train our sons for the Navy, and wo should provide at least one harbour in which, safely protected! by modern batteries, efficienitly manned*, British warships might, if necessity arose, be refitted and repaired. Wo should, in a small way, provide a naval base, and no defen-co scheme for this Dominion can ho regarded as complete or adequate that dc/es not provide for its establishment.