EMPIRE DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 411, 21 January 1909, Page 11

EMPIRE DEFENCE.

NATIONAL SERVICE LEAGUE PROPOSALS.

•:; Mr: George' ¥. Shee, "■ the."energetio secre-; taryof the National Service' League, gave an address on Imperial Defence at the Imperial 'GolonialCliib, London,- recently'., He claimed' at the outset" that no subj'ect';could' be: of more vital importance to every man arid wo-; man-of .the British race than that; of the Empire's defence..' Science, art; trade, prosperity, '.all 'these were' of tho greatest importance, but" all 1 would have to disappear into tho background if the-fabric of Empire ■ were to "be" shaken ; by the successful; aggression of rival nations,; ■:. Tbe._pauses_of.-.such, rivalry were .many, andthere, was probably no: part, of ..the Empire" .which", was not", oxposed to them. > ...? -'.:;.,. ,''.; An ideal system of defence would, Mn Shee;; said, be built up on the following lines:—-First, a.supreme.navy to control the. ocean: highways, and.ensure ; the safetyof .pur food'supplies;arid our commerce, and to attack and destroy'the enemy's; fleets on the Outbreak of. hostilities.- Secondly, a highly ,' efficient.long-seri'ico.professional army, - whichmust be voluntarily'recruited, liko the navy, because Jt.-was -impossible to, ask tho ordinary citizen to give up. many years of his lifetbthe defence of-oversea dominions. The third; arid 'rhpst. vital riecd. was;'.: that of ■ a" ;great.traine3;reserve';of' men, not only will-; ling, but able, in-time of need,-to come for-., ward to support the <Navy and'the regular' -Army..- in, the.• defence ..of-, our! common .in- -.:.■ ~.:' s . ;| : .- v' ..'•; '.?' ■-.- '■'■''.-.' .- ..,Hpw'.did'tho Territorial-Army.fulfil the re-' quirements ? It was literally true to say'.that it fulfilled none, except that of Tho. : latter, was-welcomed by.tbe.National Service.League.as fpririirig 'a'yaluable' frameworkupon As to numbers,' Lord Roberts had pointed;out : that-a.rese'r-vo- power of-a- million'-'men was ■needed.yMr.-Haidane had himself asked for 900,000.;.twoTyears v ag6: v Now.he .-had. come' down to' 300,000, but had barely obtained 200,000. Bu't'it was- in'.point of -.training that ■'the;. Territorial .'Army',;fell:-.jmo'st; . seriously, shortrpf- the requirements;of a-.true national reserve.'.'The .training was,:by universal admission, ludicrously ■ inadequate for the purpose which Mr. Haldaho; himself had laid down, namely,; v to^ej;( j a^>v l aging force of highly, trained-troops. .:■:,- v ' Mr. Shee then-outlined : -the-.'proposals of ■the .National •Service. were ;sound phy'sicalr'tfairiing' drill iiiaall Boys'; schools,* .and .ihree.-or -four i nibnthsVtrairiirig'.al;.-fie'';agtf : 'df;lß""f6r.:every;. 'able-bodied. British,'youth, nual forthights'>in camp fbr.thVnext three ; -years:l-:Alldwing'for-physical;-rejec-■'tipris .and:'various. exekption3,-V"ete'.',,:; .this ; : .would ;'giyG : .thslniilliori„,demarided;;byr -LordRoberts.: :The speaker took occasion to 'protest against;the;ludicrous'travesty .of. facts put; forward ;by: Lord. .-Crewe'aid Mr.-.Hal-, dane-- : as-.to. j<rodigibus; cost', of such training. What the National-Service;League' was trying .to : do?!for Great 'Britain;:other,' founded'on'the sameiliries, 'were striving to ;dp in 'Australia -arid -New,; Zealand;■ .where .happily the^L'abbur.;partyj.werer'fiilly; iri: accordr with,;the';system:'and.thoroughly: in cori-' sbriance withVthis- vital principle of .'modern demo6r'acy.;'-';lhis' 'gratifying; fact ''gave : 'g6bd ground' of thei riot .thei ideals of < a -Pari-Britannio • militia, consisting, of the whole 'able-bodied white ; marihpod of,; the - ; Empire, i trained for Home defence,]the.iAustralia'n for ' Australia, . the .Canadian ..for. '.Canada,", the •' Briton for these islands, but all,-.'ready,..arid; willing, and able, in -a great emergency, : to',' support' the : Imperial- force's; and >to" back the voice of British 'people' with'-'Vthe might of a : " British ■ arm, their-rallying cry .being. "One Fleet,' one Plagj one Throne."