The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1909. THE NAVAL CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 560, 15 July 1909, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1909. THE NAVAL CONFERENCE.

■. ■ -■» ——— - ; Yesterday's cable messages contained somo. reference to .an interesting statement' 'which has been made in a nows- • pa'per. article respecting the Canadian Government's intentions in regard to the naval defence of tho Empire Tho New Zealand public, wo arc afraid, has given little thought lately' to tho. subject that caused so much oxcitcmont a couple of months ago. Tho Confcrcnco' commences its. sittings in less than a fortnight, and it may be usoful to notice briefly, somo of the questions that aro awaiting discussion. Unliko New Zealand, Canada has made no offer of a battleship, and this differenco between the two Dominions ox-. tends to their'views on the general question. Canada, in other' words, knows -what it wants, and is- dotermined to carry : out jts design; New Zealand knows what it wants so little that our delegate tc the Conference has'nothing ;in the shape of a policy excepting a,portmanteau'full of loyal remarks. According'to the article in tho Vail Mall Gametic, the actual initial,. programme which, the Canadian delegates are taking to Britain for inspection comprises 5 first-class cruisers, 10 destroyers, and 10, torpedo-boats, which, until Canada has built her dockyards and arsenals, will be built in.England. It will not bo surprising if these figures' are correct, but W knew'in April last that Canada, had formally decided to build an auxiliary : fleet .of ■ its<: own for its own defence with its own, money, and, ultimately, in it 3 own dockyards.'.' 1 ;,.' ■The "Admiralty and ilie British government have together taken up a very clear stand as to, the principles which' will govern ;tho dealings- of the; Mother .Country • with the overseas.Dominions; in tho matter: of" naval • defence, .They, hold that ■the,'colonies must be considered to -have anicntiroly free hand, that local naval defence .'forces aire ■strategically'.wise,-; and thatwhile it would; be. better that in timo of;war the local fleets should come under the"central : control thcro can be no conV straiht in the matter.' -This was not always so. lu. his 'Memorandum to the Colonial Conference of' 1902 Lofip Sel: .'borne- proposed that all the self-govern-ing colonies'should contributo' to a- conv moh navy,. and the view,;was held that .colonial assistance that ".was' hot: at the complete disposal of the Admiralty 1 was :valupless. . Even" in 100(5 there- was; little applause for tho "local navy'-'idea.; The Committee of Imperial Defence, in condemning Captain- Ckess well's ; proposals for,an Australian Navy;'laid: it 'down; (that "the Royal Navy must, be' one-arid 'undivided.!- In.' 1907 the Admiralty iformally accepted the doctrine, that 'the ■c6lonies^"should.''bo , :'o , utpnqmo'l^B''■c^e'^ , ' in iriayal' matters. That is how; thc.;position' 'stands to-day. "So '" far as' Australia, and' 'Ganada'are concornedi ;tboi comings Conjfororico .cannot jdq morcj than'. lay, down ■such'.principles.of .common .action,as can' [be..-. incorporated ■' in the >;f'local ;; navy". [creed. AsJor New Zealand,, '.lira, are in' ■ the position : of having .' a;. Government -which .has. no positive, ideas: ~', •'.;, ; 'Although neither our inclinations nor tho;sizcfof our obligations present ..timo;will- breed any difficulties about re-, presentation in tho direction of the Navy,' 'yet it. is-only a matter of -timo when circumstances ;will compel us to embrace the ;long future in our policy.; .Discussipg tho whole question last month, the Mancjicsr ten Guardian pointed, out' a very realdanger in "gift" Dreadnought's: ..'■ No number.of Dreadnoughts' in the.North Sea (it says); would dispense: with the need of local defence in the, South, Seas on. the outbreak of war, and. whatever New. Zealand had added to our strength would then have to be given back. If wo did not give it; back, the colony would have, a just grievance. QuMiaval position would be no strpngor, but rather .weaker; on the oth.br hand, the politK cal-risks would be very serious.' A party m the colonics would raise theory that they werobeing- taxed without, representation or control; but'-no "representation, could bo given without increasing'the' responsibilities of the Navy,.at least to tho extent of the colonial, contributions, and impairing the independence of--its action.in-war.. ':' ■.■'-■'•'-'■ It cannot bo denied that this risk'.does exist. '■'■: . But it 'is not largo, and it is any-, thing but immediate. Wo- do not expect Slit Joseph "VVaud to come back with his mind made up oh: any settled policy. But something definite .will'have; to be done without much delay, for- tho country ib committed to'the expenditure -of two millions in some shape, or Other.. It may be taken for: granted that that money will novor be spent on a Dreadnought. Exactly what sha'po. the -British Government may'suggest that our offer should ultimately take is;the point of chief interest. A larger, direct subsidy will be materially'; but not navallyV useful. Muclv mo useful, navally, would bo the provision of coaling stations and, dockyards, or - the building up of a little cruiser patrol.