AUSTRALIAN NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NAVY.

STRANGE OPINIONS.

SPEECH AT AN ORANCE CATHERINC.

ALLEGED ANTI-BRITISH SENTIMENT.' (at TBLEGEArn—runss Association—cof.xiuoet.) ' Sydney,.Fobrua'ry.lo. Mr. Johnson, .a member of: the House- of Representatives; speaking at a Loyal Orange gathering, said they, would' have''to carefully watch the naval policy of the Commonwealth, because under the guise of creating an Australian navy tho'party in power were striving to get the nucleus of a navy, not to act in conjunction with the British fleet. Some of theiri; would not.say all they had in- their ; mind's eye; but they looked for the time when they would'bo able to turn an Australian fleet against the' British fleet in Austra-lian-.waters. . The sentiment, was there,, and the spirit was being actively fanned in'quarters which 'the . Orange institutions actively opposed.' '; -. ",. . ;:;.;'

''' '"HYSTERICAL CHARGE." -. -.' ;(Rec: February 10, 9.15,p':m.) -■' " '■;,. Melbourne, February-lO.; ;' The Minister'for Defence characterises Mr. Johnson's statement, that in certain quarters ;the'idea, in constructing an Australian navy was to .turn :it against'tho British fleet,' as; an-hysterical charge, as foolish as it'was false. -p : :-.'■ '■■■ /'•:"■:. , : '-/'' '■'."■''.' -^ ;.v',:-Jy:::'^ : A;.S^LL;BEqiNNlNOr':;:';.;\. ; v ;':.., [FROM OUR OWN .CORBESrONDENT.] ;y; : .' : . ",':'; , Sydney,; February. 6. . ..', We are. to have our own. navy now. .' It will-begin in a small way, certainly, but still this will be a. beginning, for Cabinet, 1 at, a meeting,.'in Melbourne yesterday; -resolved 'to order- rft once, two : torpedo; boat destroyers of:the river class,' of the type considered best, for service on tho Australian coast.'. These two boats are to be"'ready for uso in twelve months.'; They will serve as models;for.other .vessels of, the same: typo' which are to .be built in' Australia. ; Hence-itis proposed .'to establish a.building-yard at.sonio port in tho Commonwealth, and ; the. first -work, undertaken there will be the complotibn .of- another, .destroyer,'.the,prepared material for;which'is tci .be included' in;.the : new contract. ,'• Skilled 'operatives-aro .to.be sent- to; England to, be employed •by the successful -tenderers on .'the work- of ■constructing the'destroyers; so'that: ;thoy may gain the necessary .experience, ito be employed. later ion; in Australia in''building .vessels'ofwar.-: The maintenance or manning of, thei:'new vessels,'.now. ordered,.Mr.'Fisher thinks,' will ■ not .involve any. increase ■' in the annual' naval vote, as the men ■ now engaged in obsolete and out-of-date vessels are to. be transferred to : the new boats,.'.which .will; be brought but .from ..England .under, easy steam. The two, destroyers':will bo: paid' for but of tho £250,000 appropriated -by .Parliament last; session.; for coastal defences. Now, that a start-has-been .made with the "nucleus of ,an 'Australian Fleet, is it not: tinib: for someone to rise up and ask Mr.: Fisher what ho proposes; to,do about the land defences of the ?'.- :.:';;;,.' :, ; ; : : ;