THE TIES OF EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1620, 11 December 1912, Page 7

THE TIES OF EMPIRE.

dominions and defence* New stage in the imperial partnership. co-operation and controlBy TeleEraph—Press Aesociation-GopyriEht (Bee. December 10, 9.30 p.m.) ' . Melbourne, December 10. Tho "Argus" says that memorable in tho history of the. Empire will be the scene'in the Canadian House of Commons when Mr. Borden declared his naval policy. It. marks an important forward . step in closer co-operation between tho Motherland and tho Dominions in Imperial defence, and.althoueh. Canada's immediate policy differs from ours in form, it'is essentially, one in spirit. More notable from tho Imperial standpoint than Canada's generous offer is the Motherland's concession of tho principle that such help must mean an ultimate partnership in determining tho foreign policy of the Empire- Sooner or later the fifteen million white British subjects of the outer Empire will have a proportionate voice in regulating international relations and the external defence ar- : rangements of the Empire. The "Argus" suggests that Mr. Pearce, Minister for Defence, would be a suitable representative of Australia on the Defence Council. ,

SHARING THE BURDEN,

SIR, JOSEPH; WARD'S 'VIEWS. (Eeo. December 10, 11.25 p.m.) Fremantle, December 10. Sir Joseph Ward, in an interview aboard the Mongolia,'said Canada's offer was good on sentimental grounds. The condition that she should have representation on the Imperial Defence Council was a natural corollory. to such an offer. If the Dominions were .going to take a fair share in .defence,; they should have a scat on the Council.. The overseas representatives could not expect to exercise a very powerful influence, as the population of the Dominions was only fifteen millions, as compared with 45 millions in the Old Country. Within, a quarter of a century tho Dominions would more than have made up the deficit, and, then they would naturally expect to have a much, bigger representation, provided they were, shouldering a fair .'..shire of the Imperial burdens. ;

GERMANY'S RAPiD GROWTH. POSITION IN 1920. Melbourne, December 10. The Admiralty memorandum, issued in connection, -with the. Canadian proposals, states that the development .of. the German fleet during .tho last fifteen years is the most, striking feature in the. naval situation. ' '' • This .development, was authorised by successive legislative" enactments covering a period until .1920. The German.; fleet in 1898 and 1920 compares as follows :— '■■'•. , . V 1898.. 1920.. ~ Battleships .......'' ,;. 9 ' '41 : Large cruisers ... ■!'. ■ 8. ■ 20." . Small crui5er5,...,;;,',...,, .28 . . 40 ; 113 '-:' -:-'144'Men ;■'"■ 25;000 101,500. : Cost .;.„......'.'...; ,£6,000,000 £23,000,000 '-These-figures,''however, give .no, real idea of'the advanco,' since,'the'' cost -'of ships, has risen continually during that period. Apart from, the increasing total, Germany systematically replaced her. old small vessels with the most powerful and most costly vessels. The memorandum further states that in 1913 Great Britain wijl have twenty-four battleships and! battle cruisers of tho Dreadnought class against twenty-one possessed by the other European Powers; in 1914 she would have thirty-one to thirtythree; and in : 1915-the-figures would be thirty-five to fifty-one. "■ ' '

CANADA'S GIFT. : ADDITIONAL TO PROGRAMME. ■ London, December 9. Mr. .Winston Churchill, in a reply to Lord Beresford, re-emphasised the statement that Canada's gift .is additional to the British construction. -