COASTAL DEFENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17298, 13 October 1916, Page 5

COASTAL DEFENCE.

NEW ZEALAND POSSIBILITIES. The importance of coast defence to New Zealand was emphasised by Captain Whitney at a; dinner given to Commander Armstrong, R.N.V.R., in Auckland. Captain Whitney 6aid:—

" It has become essential that a fleet of warships of superior strength should be created in the Pacific, and although the British taxpayer cannot in future be expected to find the money to finance such a navy, I see no reason why a combined fleet of the nations interested in these seas cannot be created. There is no denying.the fact that all the men in New Zealand in a military capacity could not protect their country. It : .must he a navy or, at any rate, naval coast defence. The sooner New Zealand makes provision to secure her coastal ■ towns, harbours and naval bases tho better. To do this she requires submarines, destroyers,, torpedoooats, mines, booms, land batteries, etc. The building or purchase of all these vessels is Well within the financial reach of this country j hut-is not so much the initial cost,as the annual upkeep and depreciation which she could not bear. It is in the saving in annual up-keep of the coast fleet that the services of the merchant sailors and yachtsmen would prove such a huge asset. A large part of the crews of these vessels could be supplied by volunteers, who would be well drilled, and undergo three or four weeks' training until each man was certificated efficient, annual manoeuvres being paid for at full rates of pay for positions held. It has been estimated that already 5000 New Zealand sailors and yachtsmen hare gone to the front as infantrymen, and I have n 6 hesitation in saying that 5000 more volunteers could be obtained for naval coast work if the service was made attractive. If the vessels, submarnies excepted—they require permanent crews—were manned in peace times with half the number of permanent crew, a clear saving of half the wage up-keep annually—less, of course, manoeuvre pay and could he made. Many of the men being enlisted by Commander Armstrong would receive thorough British' training and experience, and would come out again to New Zealand and become a very valuable asset in New Zealand's naval coast defence." . f