BURDEN OF DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 74, 20 December 1907, Page 7

BURDEN OF DEFENCE.

AN EMPIRE TASK. I'WO-I'OWEH STANDARD NOT TO BE ABANDONED. BI rELEGBA]?H—HtESS ASSOCIATION—COI'TEIOHT. London, Dccombor 18. Thcro is considerable newspaper comment on the speech by. Mr. Haldane, Minister for War, at Hanley, where lie pointed, out that tbc population of the thiited States and Germiny would soon be 160 millions, against the United Kingdom's 44 millions; that with such a disproportion of population it might somo time bo not so oasy as it is to-day to command a two-Power standard in tho Navy; and that, in such an event, "it will be our home forces in which we shall have to rest our trust." Unionist newspapers criticise Mr.- Haldane's pessimism, .and emphasise the potentialities of Empire—a great family of sister nations. Liberal newspapers deny that it is intended to dopart from the two-Power standard, and explain that tho nation has boon simply advised not to neglect territorial defence morely beoausc it possesses a strong Navy. The bracketing by Mr. Haldane of Germany and the United States has probably no political significance, and those two countries may have bcerl selected by . the Minister for War as best Suiting his argument on the population basis. At tho same time, there are renewed reports •in the American Press of an understanding between tho United States and Germany, due to tho farmer's naval weakness in the Atlantic, in the face of tho. Anglo.Tapanese allinnce. A Washington despatch of October 7 contains a ruhiour that, as soOfi as the United Stiites fleet is'well on its way to tho Pacific, tho Kaiser will forward his scheme for an entente by sending 4 the flower of his fleet, under tho command of his brother, Prince Henry, on a visit tolthe Atlantfc seaboard, at the time when it will be denuded ot protection. '-j