AUSTRALIAN FORTIFICATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 174, 16 April 1908, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN FORTIFICATIONS.

THE "SCUTTLE" POLICY. . DECISION OF THE DEAICIN - • •GOVERNMENT, ... One. of the • gravest problems' which the . Deakin Government, has - had to face during ' the past few months in connection'with, the '; ■ organisation and improvement of tho military -, side of its coastal • defence policy (says tho ' Melbourne "Age") is the acceptance or re- >: jection of tlio " scuttle" or abandonment •; advice of the. Imperial Defenco Committed 'in .[ relation to certain ports. In its report to'' the Government two years ago, the Imperial Committee., proposed" that the, defences, of '"' King George's Sound should be, abandoned becauso of the superior importance of- Fremantle—thereby leaving about' 1400 miles of ' • coast,, along \vhinh ,tho inter-State shipping ' trade is considerable, totally unprotected and placing at. tho disposal of an enemy one of the finest harbours of refuge in the world. • The Committee: also saw no reason -for the 1 - ' maintenance of defences at Towiisvil!c,and left several : othcr ports,, whose defenco'(con- • tinues our- contemporary) • isvital to the country, - unmcntioncd .in its .recommendations. • '.these • conclusions wero most strongly opposedfrom various 1 aspects /by-.t the: two 1906 . committees . raiiaii, pf. which Major lirucho ■and Captain- Mailer were -the secretaries, and • the Governraent to rcject thorn as soon as the defences' of Melbourne,: Sydney, . ■ and tho other capitals had been placed 'on a firmer footing. • Since thcso ; Australian -cominittees.reported;the whole matter.:has been the subject of further anxious inquiry. Fjn- ' ally, tho pressing: recommendations of tho Inspector-General, Major-Genpral Hoadj.. in favour, not only of. the fortification of King.-* '. .George's Sound and. ,Townsvilkvbut.;of >the ■'"' defenco of Broken Bay, aii'd'of the important coal port, of Port Kembla—which form,such a prominent feature of ..the- officer's last report—forced ..the problem ,on., the attention of. Parliament 'in a .way'_ which, has ■ made; tho. V. postponement of a, decision no'longer! possible'. There is, however, reason..to believe : that tho mind .of the Government : has ,now : ■.'. been made- up, and -th'at'.-;bcfore! Very long' a formal announcement may bo expected, to' ' the effect that "the defences of Albany (King • George's, Sound) are to' be . and strengthened; that. to-bo amply.. fortified, and that; certain. preliminary steps . in connection, with the, defenco of. Broken " Bay and,PortKembla are,"being'.taken. In military it .has ,been.'. confidently 'an-.,', '» .ticipated for some, time past-that the verdict of the Ministry i would take some such. form.' • Tho feeling, of relief , now experienced by the •; officers whol; have,technical:re'spqhsibilby for the attitude maintained. aganist ;,tho':' jidvice of the Imperial Defcnce: Committee portionate to the importance of-the issues at'" stake,.. ;., ..., .v" ; .-' 0:-' -.•