ADMIRAL FANSHAWE ON COLONIAL NAVIES.

Evening Post, Volume LXV, Issue 69, 23 March 1903, Page 5

ADMIRAL FANSHAWE ON COLONIAL NAVIES.

[NT TJDLKOBAPU— OWN OOHItESrONDKNT] DUNEDIN, This Day. ' Admiral Fansnawo, speaking at tho luncheon at Larnuch's Cnstlo on Saturday, j«aid :' — "I havo just come from tho Old , Country, and I con assure you, gentlemen, that there hi a very warm feeling towards Now Zealand there/ Tho fact that New Zealand sent a.larger proportion of her manhood to asiist the Old Country in tho very trying war that sho has just gone through is not likely to bo forgotten for many years to come. But although wo aro united, a free and indepondent nation, under ono King, thero ih ono great matter thnt 1 think we must keep before us. If I look at tho map of tho world I cannot for tho lifo of me see how any future- war can bo waged against us by any Power without a navy, unless wo go to war with Switzerland. Tho next time wo have a wax we must como on tho navy boforo wo can put a single shipload of our gallant soldiers on tho sea ; and, I say it as Atrongly as possible, we must see that the sea- is clear. I can conceive nothing more serious than that tho transport of tho bravest and best soldiovs in the world— -perhaps going from New Zealand to somo othor part of the world — should be exposed to the attack of somo small fast cruiser or torpedo do« etroyer. Wo must koep the command of tho sea, and I think that had belter bo done by, one great navy. Why should we set up littlo petty navies? Let us etand to tho old sorvico which has dono everything for us in tho past.