IMPORTANT TO THE COLONIES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 30, 5 February 1908, Page 11

IMPORTANT TO THE COLONIES.

In conclusion Admiral Colomb Temarks: "It ia important that our Colonial fellow-Biibjectß should realise that the resources of the metropolitan province of their Empire cannot indefinitely continue to lead in the race for sea supremacy. All the great States competing for predominancy in maritime power draw upon all the resources of all their provinces and all their component parts. The British Empire alone does not. The figures given by Mr. Haldane ignore tho Empire, but illustrate this fundamental difference, which ought to be recognised when making such comparisons. It is no use mincing tho matter ; if the several parts of the Empire cannot or will not combine "to provide the naval power necessary to secure what is common and essential to all, the passing of the sceptre of the sea from British honds is but a matter of time. Be that time long or short, who c»n tell? But this we do know for certain that, once that sceptre passes to other hands, not even unlimited number of British Territorial Armies, no matter what their size, efficiency, and completeness, can ever get it back."