IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIX, Issue 9985, 14 March 1893, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

[Special to Press Association.] THE ARMY AND NAVY. THE HOME RULE BILL. LONDON, March *l2. Mr Buxton, Under-Secretary for the Colonies, replying to a question, said the successor to Sir R. Hamilton, in the Governorship of Tasmania, would be appointed this month. Lord Salisbury, replying to an Irish commercial deputation, said Mr Gladstone did not want publicity given to their views, and advised them to insist on the Premier seeing them. There are signs of a Conservative revival. Mr Balfour told the' deputation that Home Rule meant bankruptcy, and Mr Gladstone was too wise to discuss the question with them. Lord Churchill has issued, a manifesto, asserting that Irish autonomy means the rule of Rome; that the danger is appalling; and that the malice of the Radicals exceeds that of the Prince of Darkness. The Belfast Press states that an English firm refused to supply Ulster with a hundred thousand Martini rifles. Lord Brassey, speaking in the House of Lords, said it was essential that the Navy should equal that of France and.Russiacombined. He urged the immediate construction of rapid cruisers of the Rurik type, instead of unwieldy vessels costing millions. Earl Spencer, First Lord of the Admiralty, said that experts gave contrary advice, and were in favour of giving endurance superior consideration. Sir C. Dilke said per annum were spent on the Army at Home, and it would be impossible to inobilise it under a fortnight, while other Powers could perform a similar operation, with vastly larger numbers of men to move, in four days. The Pall Mall Gazette says Australia will have to buy out the French in the New Hebrides. Mr Asquith, Home Secretary, and Lord Churchill are contesting the Rectorship of the Glasgow University. March 13. In the House of Commons, in discussing the Army Estimates, the Hon H. Campbell Bannorman, Secretary for War, stated that the Government had decided to abolish the Army Corps system, and substitute a force of 200,000 men, to be in constant readiness for little wars. Mr Gladstone declined to receive the Belfast deputation, on the ground that the meeting which it represented passed a resolution threatening to resist the Home Rule Bill. The Plan of Campaign has been revived on the Templemore estates, in Wexford, The Unionist agitation against autonomy for Ireland is increasing.