SEA TRAINING AND TWO-POWER STANDARD. SPEECH BY MR. J. ALLEN, M.P.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 64, 13 September 1911, Page 8

SEA TRAINING AND TWO-POWER STANDARD. SPEECH BY MR. J. ALLEN, M.P.

The Dominion Conference of theNa.vy League wm concluded to-day, the Key. Ei Eliot-Chamber* presiding. On the motion of Mr. \V. J. Napi€r, the report of f.he Anb-eonimittee appoint--1 «k( regarding preliminary viv i atrttetiofi w sea. training,, was adoptc<l, i j^The report Was a.9 f ollows : — "That it j ' f iA ■ desirable that ill th<>. <nkml towns -of tho Dominion somti eystein of preH liminary lnstmrtion with a. view to asea career should be given, to boys, it being thought that such in'strtOTlion would- be a useful 'adjunct to the pre- j sent system of se* training." It was rcsolve<l on the motion of Captain Treleaven, seconded by Mr. W. J. j Napier ;— "That the Govgrattte'nt. he approached with a vie-w to &nc.inr*giug preliminary instruction in ( Pea, 1 raining By, 'branches of the Navy'Leagito and ([--issuing regulations to enabfc the in.i'«truction when given to fit in with the training ship syllabus. The chairman remarked that steps had been taken by his league in the direction indicated. A suitable barque tvith masts and rigging, could be fitted out at* Lyttelton, awl taken to Sumner at ai total • cost of £100. Training on such a vessel would have an excellent effect. At the suggestion of Mr. C. W. Palmer, it was decided that, in order to assist in the- training of youths for sea, the Government be recommended to establish one or more shore-trainin^homes, to be conducted in connection, with the training ships. TWO-POWER STANDARD, A lengthy speech was made by Mr. Napier on the two-power standard,, which had been sacrificed some years »*ago« He moved— "That in the opinion . of this conference, the maintenance of the integrity of the Empire- and the adequate protection of its commerdearequire the immediate recognition, by the .Imperial Government of the principle of laying down t»o x keels for one in re* lation to the German navy." Mr, R. Darroch -seconded the motion and remarked that th« only -way -was 1 to have an invincible navy. The two power standard was a thing of the past. Mr. J. Allen, M.P., objected to th# ♦motion- as it savoured of dictation to the' British Government. "In his opinion, nothing less' than three keels to one ,would.be needed for the Empire, The two keef to one i» ihe North Sea torta insufficient for th« protection of th«s colonies. There* should b© ' an Eastern^ fleet as w«ll a« on© at Some. Th§ 'proep«ctiv« of th# league was not large enough, as it had its mind fa«t«fl«d on Britain. " " Mr. Napier held that Japaa was our' fri«nd. This vi«vr«as strongly diss«nt«d fromby Mt. Allen, who said that New Zealand'«, legislattofl Was giving Japan a slap in the face. and tihe treaty merely gay« New Zealand a respite. The *wo* keel standard was useless unless a jvuiction hetweea Germany and Japan was prevented. Hia opinion- Wa*,. that ' they should not interfere v?fth a matte? of fchis kind. Th« Chairman supported Mr. Allen and suggested the withdrawal of tha moiwt>. - " The .motion, amended as follows, was adopted :— "That this conference cordially endorses the principle of the parent league of at least two keels for one in relation to the »exb strongest naval power, and would express its. heafty approval of the gradual building *up of an Eastern fleet of the Empire."