LORD KITCHENER’S VISIT

Evening Star, Issue 14185, 9 October 1909, Page 8

LORD KITCHENER’S VISIT

The British War Office expects that Lord Kitchener’s visit to Australasia will do much to bring the colonial armies of the Empire into line in all that n’/iten to organisation, arms, drill, and higher training. Speaking at Bradford on August 13, Mr Haldane, the British Minister of War, said:— “ I am glad to be able to tell you that we are within sight—and, indeed, something more than unthin sight—or common plans, which will unif.y the forces of the Crown throughout the whole of the Empire. Jt is not for nothing that Lord Kitchener is going to represent the War Office in Australia and New Zealand, and then coming to tile command in the Mediterranean, with the duty of organising the troops throughout South Africa, and the still larger duty of workiqc out the plans and necessary concentrations in case the Empire should be attacked. The Empire for defence is one and indivisible, and wherever the theatre of war may be—be it in Australia, be it Africa, be it India, be it our own islands —we should have the forces of the Empire so organised that they can be concentrated wherever the field may bo, and that plans for our mutual defence may be worked out by one Empire, one whole. Lord Kitchener is going to Australia and New Zealand and Sir John French is going to Canada to work out the details with our children overseas, and my hope is that the effect of that common plan and common organisation will be to draw attention away from such topics as the invasion of these islands. If we cease to discuss that we shall have some chance of realising the advantages of peace prospects, and the reduction of armaments will become a thing of practical possibility.”