DEFENCE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 15

DEFENCE NOTES.

(By Echelon.) Secretaries of Volunteer :Corpß and < Rifle Clubs are invited to oontributo items ~ cfinterest £or..,jn^ertioS.: ; in : .'tbis : •' column. : ''r'-;;.' .:V'. / WHAT AUSTRALIA IS DOING. Some 1 ido(i of ; the comprehensive naturo of the ■ Australian national .- defonco ; scheme • is shown by tho following _si}inmary. of its proposals." J '' . V. . The Australian Navy. Under tho exisung'scheme tho naval subsidy to tho Inracrial Navy (Austialian Squadron) £200,000; In ■ peace, tho Australian SquatliKin is generally restricted to Australasian: w iters. lnwar, lt'isfico,.to oporato also in ltidiap A»d China seas. Two of tho •. vessels al- o ■ manned- by : Australians,» ho le- ■ coivo sKcial-pa/ji:The.-cosfc'of J»io. Commonvroalth naval forces—local Naval Militia, trainings etc., is £60,524. ,v Under.. the neivr scliome _ ' ' ■ (a)' The sum of £100,000 is provided for the provision and .maintenance..of. 10QQ seamen (Australians if possiblo) in the _Imperial Navy,' of whom 400 will man two "P" class - cruisers to be^provided-by Admirdlty, to, bo kopt ; on ' the 'Australian coast ,in,. pcoco or ' war,iancl 'subject' to; Commonwealth control; ■' otherwise, no restriction is placed on tho movements of Imperial ships in peace or war in India, China, and Australian:seas.-.There - will also be'lei}t by the-Admiralty two "P" ■ class .cruisers for tlie training of tho local ; navalTvffiili^a^"- ; -'v (b) A'furtKor.sum- of: £100,000 is set apart for'the ■ provision -by-tho Commonwealth or submarines or ■ torpedo boat. destrojors, . as : ■ Bnggested' at - the - London -Conference, and. subject' to Commonwealth-control, i. ■ - . r • For tho Comm6nwealth Naval Forces —local naval militia: training; etc., £60,524 is provided. - The following will be under tbe i direct con- • trol<of jjjio CommonWeMth Government: — • j Provision'and- of three , sub- : marines; two T.B.* destroyers, for harbour, / and-neighbQuring goast defence. - First year's- / estimates, £357,000. i . Provision : and upkeep,-. etc.-, >. .ofci f urthor throe subamrmes and two T.B.- destfoyers for ■ harbour, ejc,,. defencp,. and, upkeep, etc., ;<,of - of previots year's plivision. Third year's timates, j£414,000. .' 1 " .•Provision-valid .upkeep, of t further three 'submarines and two T.B. destroyers for harbour, eto., defonco,. and lip-keep, .etc.j of.:previous-years', provision. Third year's estimates, , £471,000. - In the fourth- and: subsequent years the upkeep, interest, and replacement fund of the above : submarines (9) < boat>,destroyers (6) will bo £250,000 a year. These ' vessels will be manned by l officers-and-men tra;ned in ■ the Imperial Navy, and term ofservice in them will probably be'three-yoars. : '' Further . development—coast defence Vessels —IB foreshadowed on completion, of submarine, etc., flotilla in three" years'(time. • ■ .Tho'traiiiing proposed-zfori'the local l , liavalmilitia ls .four weeks' work annually, for five, j ears The Australian National Guard. , : 1 boys up. to 18. years . of -age . it is provided that/there.slidll-bo- training at -school, 'and, afterwards, training as -a - cadet in recruit exorcises. The number of days is not yot announced. For the first few, _ years, draining will be- voluntary. ' Provision ''is made for 37,000' cadets for the.poriod 1907-. ~ sory y . -.Adults.—Every.- male • youth the i ages of 17. and be'compelleidito register; i .'himself this year.-. Botweeji tillages of 18 1 and 20, every cadet: or otli6r person:,who lias; qualified'm reoruit:f drill-mil ,-bet, obliged .to • tram in a continuous camp for 12'days:-,Those i ' who Jio.vo not dnlUmust I undergo 18 coitinuotfs Bcjtweeh SjO and SMsl!tajiiimiiil- : course-is 12 days^:.^lp,:,ca>nn , pi}twa.i ; will be ■\ devoted/to field tfininingf companyrand bat-' 1 tahon; drill, otc. Instruction will be given by solocted officers. and citizon noncommissioned officors, who wjlb.chft specially . paidj' Qie.wholovto: be underfthe of the liistiuctional staff / f ''f - i t/ v It wTO bo se(jn tint in a.petfod of thieo : years .tho youth l -who has -,q\ia]ified:im -.recruit drill *-w ill put 'in thntv is days' camp training,' while .t'i,oso who: havQ:not .fied: wul-.be compelled to'put an; f .t\velve.,days thefages .'to -26,vconipul- - .sory-;-.training' will; also bo re^uired t ; blit tho dotails aro not yet settled , ■ Tn-the artillery'and engineers- four, weeks' tramingi annually>up to 2J .wiU/b'e requited., Payvwill be :'in . tlje* last two years. From* 261.t0-, will' be • liable for service 11} time of ,jvaii/but no. training is providod for > J ■ -Pay.—Officers i and:-'noli-comimssioned-(ojEB--, /cersvivill be-paid yet snpcified-: for, service atv instructional .ibchools; ?.. feoTvmgn after 21 jears of age will al36ibe paid Uniform —Simplest > sattorif*!fi J> ") .> Officers on receiving -av <.(andv N.O. • officers) \vilhprobably,tho -liable for..-longer-period of sorvica above fixed: for .a private. Term : not ,yqt specified. - -~ ■ ».- -Rifle rclubs willmltimately -coiisist only jof:. . soldiersV,who have copiplcte<J - their training,;, Rifle shooting under'-Eervigfl- conditions . will be.gcnorally.(/i[sisted>upoiir>. v v . The yearly , . osjiectbd to amount: to 27,000 men. '. : Aecbrdiii(§y ,ii'i three years'; . timo - ;. a IfprCe -'of.-ftb'outv 80,000 i 'moiii :will;be!undergoing training' annujilly..-::;'' V ■. •' be ,manufa^tured;amu^ all^.by^a'locaVJsnaall-arms/factory'. , : ' ! Artillery. Qip. guua : (18 -pound-: i ers) ~wiU be provided annually;'until a'Hbtiil; 1 of 240 is reached. 1 '** > , i. Cost.—-Present •: cdsttjjor. ijaboufc. ?22;00Q • -in? 1 - training; ■. £800,000 1 ;) ;-r ,:15str-, . mated cost for about.^SJ)ott)iii.-triiiuing i under.. :. ■ univeha,! semce> , citmli^ion8 > -it'<Sljlo0 > 000<'.(»p'' pro\imateh) x . nes are'to be establiSacd i{ * . , Fixed; guns 1 for-fortselectiicil^Jits .fpt Sajno;i;also am- 1 : munition reserve , «iJj , beiiig' l |)roVided.:< Total- . cost,t. about.£3oo,o(lD)'i.to":;be-. spread- over . six years; Annual liisfSjmeliti-. fiSOjOOOif' ,y : "i