The Press. MONDAY, JULY 5. 1909. THE COLONIES AND THE NAVY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13466, 5 July 1909, Page 6

The Press. MONDAY, JULY 5. 1909. THE COLONIES AND THE NAVY.

One of the chief difficulties to be faced at the coming Imperial Naval Conference is how best to meet the differences of opinion between those overseas Dominions who are wedded to the idea of a local fleet, and those who, like ourt selves, are content to contribute unj reservedly to the strengthening of the British Navy, realising that the prime need of the Empire is that the fleet ! shtfl be made strong enough to maintain the supremacy of the sea against all likely combinations of foes. Tho strongest argument in favour of a local fleet is one of sentiment. If the people who provide it see it constantly, and above all if it is manned and officered by their sons, they will naturally take the greatest interest in it, and their support will bo accorded with the greatest cheerfulness and goodwill.. If Great' Britain were able, unaided, to maintain a fleet of sufficient strength t*. smash up any bo-tile combination, then there would be a good deal to be said for the suggestion that the colonies should provide local cruiser squadrons to repel raids and protect the trade routes. But in the altered conditions which have lately come about, it is doubtful whether "the weary "Titan" at Home can continue to bear, unaided, the burden of an efficient naval defence. Obviously the mastery of the sea must be preserved at all hazards, because on its possession the security of the Empire depends, and to ensure this it seems clear that we* shall havo to put forth all our resources, and concentrate our utmost efforts. The New Zealand .plan of giving battleships, or largely increasing the naval subsidy, giving the Admiralty full and unfettered control, is best adajJted to this end. It seemp to us, however, that something might bo done at the same time to meet the very natural and laudable feeling of sentiment to which we refer. Could not a plan be devised by which, for example, the New Zealand contribution should be devoted to the construction and maintenance of a particular ve__-el, or vessels, which should b_ identified by name with the Dominion? What we suggest is an extension of th© principle by which one of his Majesty's warships has been christened the New Zealand, out of compliment to this Do-

minion. It .vill he romcmbcrc*d that

one of tho immediate results was that :i Tx*ll *.va.s presented to thc vessel bt 5,11 fowriiHions from New Zealand school elnldren. 3nd '.here is no doubt that the vessel is regarded with especial interest by the nocplo of this Dominion. Anothei advantage of specially devoting the contribution from each colony to .rmrticular vessels—earmarking the votes, so to speak—would be that there would be some assurance that the overseas co.ntributtons were really providing additions to the fleet, and not merely relieving the British taxpayer of a certain proportion of his quota*. If it were possible in addition to include among the complement of the colonial vessels, a goodly .proportion of colonial officers ond men, thc result would be to strengthen still further the tio which binds us to the navy, and makes us proud of its glorious exploits in the past, and determined to uphold its efficiency in the future.