DEFENCE CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 686, 10 December 1909, Page 3

DEFENCE CONFERENCE.

OFFICIAL PAPERS PRODUCED. WHAT STRATEGY DEMANDS. AND WHAT DOMINIONS DESIRE. ' Official documents giving the results of tho recent" Defence Conference were laid on the table of the House by tho Priruo Minister yesterday afternoon. The documents. include tho Admiralty memorandum, which stated that: "On March 1G of this year statements wpro mado on the growing strength of foreign navies by the Prime-Minister and.tho First Lord of tho Admiralty oh the introduction of the Navy Estimates for 1909-10. ■ ..'

"In the opinion of the-Admiralty, a Dominion Government desirous of creating a navy should aim at forming a distinct licet unit; and tho smallest: unit'is one which, whilo manageable in time •of peace, is capable of being l used in its component parts in time of war., Under. certain conditions the establishment of local defence flotillxs, consisting of torpedo crnft and submarines, might be of assistance in time of war to'the operations of the fleet, but such flotillas cannot ■ co-operate on'tho high seas in the wider duties of protection of. trade and preventing attacks from hostile cruisers and squadrons. The .operations of destroyers and torpedo boats are necessarily limited to the waters near the coast or to a radius of action not far distant from a base,- whilo there are great difficulties in manning such a force and keeping, it always/thoroughly efficient. A- scheme. limited to torpedo . craft wonld not in itself,- moreover, be n good means of gradually developing a- self-contained fleet capable of both offence and defence.- Unless a naval force— whatever its ; size—complies with ' this condition it can never take; its proper place in the .organisation of aru Imperial navy distributed strategically over the whole area, of British intorests. .-.' -

''The Fleet unit to bo aimed at should, therefore, in tho opinion of the Admiralty, consist at least of the following:—One. armoured cruiser (new Indomitable class,, which is of the' Dreadnought type), three nriarmoured cruisers (Bristol class), six destroyers, three submarines, with the necessary auxiliaries, such as depot and store ships, etc., which are not here specified. Such'-a Fleet unit would bo capable of. action not only, in the defence of coasts, but also of the trade routes, and would be sufficiently powerful to deal with small hostile squadrons should such over'attempt to act in its waters. ' -. • -'. .

'; .'Estimated Expense. ;:; "Simply to man such, a squadron, omitting auxiliary requirements and any margin for reliefs, sickness, etc!, the minimum numbers required would be about 2300 officers and men, according to the. Admiralty scheme'of complements.' The estimated first cost of bnildiiiß and arming such a complete. Fleet unit .would be approximately .£3,700,000, and the cost of maintenance, including upkeep of vessels, pay, and interest and sinking fund, at British rates, approximatelyr ,£600,000 por annum. The estimated cost of the officers and men required to man tho ships does not 'comprise the wholo .'cost. : . There would be other. charges to 'hi provided for, such as the pay of persons employed, in subsidiary services, those undergoing training, sick,: in reserve, etc. As the armoured/ cruiser is the essential part of'the' I'leet unit, it is important that an Indomitable of the' Dreadnought-type should be the first vessel to be! built in commencing the formation of a Fleet / unit. ■. She should' be omeered ,tind manned as fnr as possible by colonial officers and men, supplemented bytho loan pf. Imperial officers and men who might: volunteer for the service.;: IVhile- ; on the sta- , tidn the ship would be under the exclusive control of the Dominion Government as regards her movements and; general 'administration, but officers and men'would bo govorned by regulations similar to the King's Kcgulations, and bo .under naval discipline. The question of pay and allowances would. have tn bo settled.on lines'tho most suitable to'each l JJominion Government concerned. The other' yessols when built would: bo treated in the ■same.manner. .''. ' ' '; : ... -.

-.It -is recognised, that to carry 'out ' comp u- s \ s i" ch n scn ? m e as that indicated would ultimately mean a greater, charge for' naval defence than, that, which the Dominions have .hitherto; bornej.r.but, , oii. the other hand, the building : . of, a ; . Dreadnought Sv itssequivalent), •' whicL. cerfaui;Governments liave', offered to undertake, would; form part of '. the scheme ■ ? £ , .i? re !? re, f? regards' the. most expensive ■yera-'ofi'tho shipbuilding' ;• programme ' sue.gested, no additional cost .to those Governments would be inTolved.i.Pari.'passu with thocreation of,the,Meet:nnit;\it. would bo neces•sarjvto,consider,:thfe.development: of local, sources inv«verythin<r which .relates to the' : .maintenance., of, a .fleet: A. careful inquiry should.be inade into; tho shipbuilding and repairing, establishments with a view to their ; general'adaptations.to.'tho needs of tho local squadron. Training. schools for .officers and men would have to' be established; arrangenicnts would have to.bo made for thVuiaim- , ■faoture,'- supply, and replenishment of the various naval, ordnance, and victualling stores reqmred bytlie-Sfniadroii. j . ■ : All- these requirements might be' met according to , the-views of. the<Dominion Governments, in so far as the form andniannefoT tlie provision made are concerned; . But regards shipbuilding, = armaments, and warlike stores,- etc..' on the. orio -hand,-, and -'traininj and discipline iir peace, and war,: on the other, there should be one common standard ..It has been recognised by the colonial Governments that in timo■: of war the local n?val. forces should come under the ceneral directions of'the; Admiralty." --...:. v

■ ;'■- .■ /• ■•■■ ■;■ Military Defence; ;', ~.: ■ ';■■. _ the result'of the .conference liasbeen the drafting of a plan for so organis-niS,'he-forces of,the Crown wherever thev aro that, while.preserving tho complete autonomy ot eachlJominion, should the Dominions desire to assist in the defence of. the Empire'in a real emergency, their- forces could,be. rapidly comuineointo one homogeneous Imperial Army. : The' expeditionary, forces in each are to follow as possible tho Imperial pattern, but tho home defencei forces of eachmay be organised with suitable regard .to .local conditions. As far. as is practicable, the British model with regard to field, service regulations, and training, organisation and administration,. arms equipments, and stores is to bo followed but it has been agreed that in future revisions of .hese the oversea- Dominions should bo consulted with-' reference. to any . alterations or amendments . which they might. desire to'" pro- : pose. Officers performing-General Staff duties throughout' the .'Empire will be regarded as members,of the Imperial General Staff, but in Dominions where there are: not enough qualified officers to fill General Staif appointments the local headquarters, it.is suggested, should nrst be completed, and the duties in districts pertormed. by staff officers, as at present, who should be- termedv "attached to the General Staff until qualified, or until gradually'replaced by qualified General' Stall ohicers as they becomo available. Part ;of the responsibilities of i t ne re o v erseas sections, of-the: Imperial: General staff will bo the preliminary and higher education of officers' of the local forces, in communication, 'so far as may ,be necessary, with the'central.'body. ' . ■■■..,-, r; , : . _.

/ "Practically Unassailable." "The risk of mich a disaster as the dissolu. hon of' our 'scattered Empire," , considers General Nicholson, Chief. of the General Staff,, "must. be avoided at all costs.: ' It' seems -almost certain that, if the United Kingdom, with the aid of her daughter nations, can successfully maintain her .maritime position,' if tho" Empire continues to increase in military strength proportionately .to its growth •in .wealth and 'population';' and if. we can organise iomo comprehensive system of Imperial strategy based upon the idoa of mutual support bj land and sen,' the time cannot be far distant when wo should be, practically unassailable. . . . '.Australia and New Zealand are so situated that they might be able to send troops to reinforce India, or the garrisons of defended porta in Asiatic waters,'at , a time when it would be unsafe to dispatch them from the United Kingdom by way of the Mediterranean. Similarly, a United South Africa might be able to raise a force , not nieroly sufficient for home defence,'but capable of. giving effective] assistance in the solution of any military problems' which might arise upon tho African Continent. Canada is in the best position, perhaps, to render aid promptly should trouble nriso nearer home, or to reinforce Australia. .. . ; . Tho Dominions are, therefore, asked to consider and work out a policy by .means, of which the units of their:existing,,forces may be so organised as to be' capable of'mobilising at the vur -establishments of corresponding ■ units iri.ihe United Kingdonvso that; should' circumstances demand it,.u proportion of these forces could bo ; made/ avnilnble for Imporinl purposes. 'It,is hoped that the development n f the forces .of'-' tho/'Dominion's during tho.i next, few ;ye'ars:!wiH enable their respective Governments .to considbr the■ whole'(lUestioh of tho nunibera that: might be made' available' forImperial service, always renieinbering that a passive-defence is.no' defeiice.', , . .-.: , V.; ;