The Press; FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1012 IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14525, 29 November 1912, Page 6

The Press; FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1012 IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

There is no .longer any question that a change is taking place in the situation with regard to tho naval defence of the Empire. Needless to say, there cava be no hard and fast rule on this subject to last for all time. With tho shifting conditions of Britain's international relations, '. corresponding changes must take place .in tho organisation and disposition of tho Fleet. The Erst essential is that England's sea supremacy must bo maintained, and to ensure this result tho Navy mast to kept .strong at tho point of

thrown down the challenge in the North Sea, tho policy of concentration in that quarter was imperatively forced upon the British Government. To carry out this policy it has been necessary to withdraw warships from other parts of the world. The Pacific has been denuded to an extent that would have been quite impossible but for tho alliance with Japan. Even in tho Mediterranean our position has been weakened to a degree that, to say tho least of it, is undesirable in view of tho complications already taking placo in that quarter, and still moro so in view of the complications which the future may bring forth. Tho timo lias plainly come when the burdon of naval defence has become too heavy for tho Mother Country to bear alone, and it is imperatively necessary for tho daughter tuitions to come to Jier assistance with substantial help.

The question then arises as to the shape in which this assistanco can best bo given. Hitherto New Zealand has done her part by means of an annual contribution to the Navy, and tho presentation of a Dreadnought. Her aim has been to strengthen tho great fighting arm of tho Empiro at the point whoro it was subject to most strain, and in pursuing this policy sho has simply been following out the views advocated by tho Admiralty at Home, and eminent naval officers who have from timo to timo flown their flags in these waters. But, as wo havo said, a change lias lately como over tho scono. A feeling is growing up that British interests in the Pacific aro too valuable to be left for an indefinite time in the present stato of insufficient protection. Australia has adopted tho policy of providing a local fleet, but the position which Canada intends to take up is uncertain. Apparently tho Government, in view of tho present crisis, proposed to make an immediate contribution to tho British Navy, but in all probability its preference for tho future will bo for a local fleet, locally manned. Recognising these tendencies, leading public men and influential organs of opinion in the Mother Country have lately boon urging that England can undertake to maintain tho Navy at full strongth in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and. Home waters, and that the Dominions might properly and : profitably undertako the protection of tho far-flung lines of commorco, and the moro distant points of danger. Admiral King-Hall, in tho striking speech which he made in Auckland on Wednesday, focussed the idea in a sentence when ho said:—"l Believe in time (I am now "only giving my own personal " opinion) that wo shall have a Pacific " fleet comprising divisions from the " Dominions whose shores aro waahod "by that ocean, and I see no reason "why a beginning should not bo made "by the Dominion joining forces and '* co-operating with the Commonwealth "in forming a Royal Australasian "Navy." Simultaneously wo havo the Australian Government expressing a wish to meet us more than half way in 00-oporating not only in the matter of land defence—which was provided for in I/ord Kitchener's schemes—but in the moro far-reaching and infinitely more difficult problom of a joint navy. The "Sydney Morning Herald," which in the past has been a consistent advocate of tho policy of directly supporting the English Navy, is now apparently recognising tho fact that conditions have, altered, and is regarding with favour tho union of Australia and New Zealand in the , provision of a joint fleet.

No one can look at these signs of tho timea without realising that wo are on tho ove of important changes both in the matter of naval defonco and Imporial relations. Mr Massey, speaking at tho luncheon at which Admiral King-Hall made tho speech already quoted, said that in his opinion the position must bo reconsidered, and added tho Government of New Zealand was in communication with the Imperial Government on the subject. ,Mr Alien, tho Minister of Defence, is shortly going Homo, and it is well known that ho intends to consult not only the British Government, but tho Governments of Australia and Canada, with tho view of arriving at iv policy which shall bo in the best intetests not only of New Zealand, but of the Empire.. Wo beliovo that he may be safely trusted to do what is

right in this matter, to which ho has given a groat deal of thought and «tudy. There Aγ© two or three points, however, upon which the people of New Zealand will insist. Tho first is that tho mastery of the sea must be retained at whatever cost, and that no policy must be adopted which, in tho opinion of the Admiralty—on which the responsibility ultimately rests —will jeopardise that supremacy. Tho second is that there must be "ono Flag one "Fleet and ono Empire." Whatever fleets are created by tho Dominions, they must be under tho supreme control of the Admiralty, in peace as well as in war. That is essential to the maintenance of tho Empire. If Australia, therefore, -wishes to retain local control, and insists that tho disposition of the. fleet is to remain in tho hands of the Commonwealth Go- ' vernment, or of tho Commonwealth and dominion Governments combined, New Zealand ought to have no,thias to say to such a disloyal and insahe"'proposi- ,- tion. But if this is conceded, we think that, on the other hand, the oversea nations must bo represented in some way on tho Councils of the Empire, so that as members of that Empire they may have som<j control over the issues of peace and war, and the handling of tho fleets which they haro helped to create. In regard to this point, a cablo message from Canada, which we publish this morning, is of deep interest. Au amendment has been moved to tho Address-in-Reply, directly laying down the proposition that no fur- ... au— u.vr/u,, fnir.,na.v*isl, l .,,<?fif ; shall.

bo imposed on tho taxpayers of that Dominion unless it is accompanied by

Eomo such representation as that to which we have referred. Tho debate mil, at least, have one effect: -wo shall now know where Canada stands in this matter. And Canada is really the pivot on which tho whole question may now be said to turn.