ALL RED "CLAPTRAP."

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 80, 28 December 1907, Page 5

ALL RED "CLAPTRAP."

A VIGOROUS CRITIC. SHIPPING SUBSIDIES AND NAVAL BURDENS. GREATER SHARE. 6* TEWtGBArn—rttESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. (Rco: Dec. 27, 9.26 p.m.) London, Deoombor 27. Sir John Colomb, tho noted authority on defence matters, in letter to " Tho Times," Writes: — "It is a mischievous misnomer to describe tho routo. from England to Australia via Canada as ' All Rod.' Tho calling of a routo mainly maritime by a false name will not prevent commercial- competition in peace, nor will it frighten: victorious admirals in war time from shutting it up like a' telescope. An attempt to delude populaj opinion by means of emotional claptrap may again imposo upon tho nation tho pains and penalties of a gigantic and' costly sham. "After Mr.' Haldane's warning, if tho nation wishes' to postpone so terrific a catastrophe as the abandonment of tho two-Power standard, it must refuse to, listen to colonial appeals for money to multiply sea routes in order, to facilitate commercial operations, unless tho colonies consent to share tho responsibility , .of - the cost and maihtonanoo of the fleot...lf ; the,several parts of tho Em-, piro cannot, or : will not, combine to provide ' the naval, power necessary.- to sccuro what is common and 'essential to all oi them, the sceptro of the sea must pass from British hands."

. Mr. Haldane, Secretary, for War, in a speech on December 18, pointed out that the population of .the; United .States and Germany would soon bo IGO millions, against: the United ivmfjdom'sil millions; that, with such a disproportion of population it might some time be not so easy as it is to-day to two•Pover standard /in the Navy; and that, in such an event, "it will be. our homo forces in which vre shall have to rest our trust.