AUSTRALASIA'S NAVAL BURDEN

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 79, 3 April 1914, Page 6

AUSTRALASIA'S NAVAL BURDEN

Naval co-operation with tho Commonwealth ie the subject of an interesting message, published yesterday, from our Australian correspondent, who notes an impression in the Commonwealth that substantial economies could be effected by a degree of co-operation that would not involve "any control by one Dominion over the fleet or policy of the other." Such a goal, it is needless to say, would be well worth aiming at. If reciprocity in tariffs is dormant owing to political exigencies in the Federal sphere, mutual needs in the matter of defence are very much in the forefront, and co-ordination t>u A«y, ami on land is both possible- and datable. Only th» other dny » cable-

gram from Australia intimated that, notwithstanding the great coal resources of the States, particularly New South Wales, there was a, probability that the Commonwealth Unit would, after all. have to rely on Westport steaiy. coal — the fuel that saved the Calliope at Samoa— because the Australian article had damaged the battle-cruiser's furnaces. This infoimation — unofficial but uncontradicted— suggests a basis of mutual dependence : they have the ships, wo have the best coal. On the other hand, they have the educational institutions (naval and military), which we are using. Putting on one side our battle-cruiser in the North Sea and the sum of over £140.000 a year that we pay for her, the naval position in this : We give the Admiralty a subsidy of £100j000 a year, and in return have ,the unwarlike cruisers Pyramus and Psyche. Any real protection that we now enjoy in the South Pacific is provided by the Australian Unit, for which we pay nothing. Is this fair? It is true that Australia keeps these ships for her own purposes ; they would be there if nc- New Zealand existed. But while they arc there, they incidentally protect us ; and we are enjoying—actually in war-time, and morally all the time— the guardianship of the Australian Unit, because any oversea enemy seeking to attack us would find it advisable to reckon first with the warships based on Sydney. Being under such, an obligation, though in no sense bound, we must, in fairness, consider very seriously the case for co-operation with Australia. With regard to the Prime Minister and his "toy navy" critics, The Post sees no reason lo waver in its support of his policy. It is no criticism to gibe at the smalhiess of beginnings, and people who do so underrate the growing national spirit of New Zealand. Tn his speech on the Navy Estimates, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Churchill, said the Government recognised the importance of creating a naval sentiment m tho Dominions. And that is best secured by training our own men, manning our own ships, creating a pride of possession, and allying our infant strength with the other Pacific Dominions ; co that, in less than a generation, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand may possess a navy well worthy of the early sacrifices.