IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 583, 11 August 1909, Page 7

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

CANADA'S PACIFIC COAST. ESQUIMAULT. TO BE LOCALLY ADMINISTERED. (By Telcßraph.-Prosa Amoclatlon.-OoDyrliht.l (Rec. August 10, 10.10 p.m.) Ottawa, August 10. At the ond of the month Canada will formally assume charge of tie naval yard at Esquimault, tho naval, station ill British Columbia.' [Some time ago a proposal was mooted that tho Admiralty should re-establish a North racifio Squadron, based on Esquimault, As a matter or fact, however, the Canadian Government has been maintaining the Esquimault defences for the last couple of years, and it is the formal transfer that is now being sanctioned. The Toronto "Courier" recently wrote: "It is quite evident that a Canadian fleet is in sight. The pressure on the Government to begin construction has been tremendous. The leaders of every shad® of public opinion are in favour of definite action. Before tho year is out, perhaps at an oarly date, there will be a definite announcement. Only somo unforeseen disagreement at the July conference oan cause further delay."]- . KING'S COLONIALS. ■ (Rec. August 10, 10.10 p.m.) London, August 10. Sir Joseph W&rd, along with the Commonwealth delegates to tho Defence Conference, Colonel Foston and Captain Collins, yisited tho King's Colonial Regiment at Salisbury Plain. After inspection tho visitors walked through the lines and spoke to many Australasian members of the regiment. [Great care has been taken to keep the King's Colonials a purely colonial corps. As the required number of recruits were not forthcoming in London, detachments wore raised at Oxford, Cambridge, and Liverpool. The percentage of Rhodes scholars who joined is said to be unusually high.] , , EXPERT DISCUSSION. (Rec. August 10, 11.10, p.m.) • ■ London,' August 10. The colonial naval experts are engaged "n ! discussing with the representatives of. l ,he Admiralty many technical details involved ill tho defence of the Empire.