IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 20900, 7 May 1887, Page 2

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

RECEPTION BY THE QUEEN. BANQUET IN THE CITY. (Special to Press Association) London, May2. IP:!erring to the defence of Thursday Island and Albany, Sir 11. lloiiand asks if the War 'Office next vear ap Pld for a vote for modern armament of those stations, would the colonics construct the

necessary forts and barracks ? Tho Admiralty do not., ’admit that Thursday Island and Albany are of equal importance .to many of the British ! coaling stations, but aro willing to apply the same principle of assistanceas given to others. The probable cost of arming Albany with guns and mines would be £14,000, the construction of forts £L3,000, and the maintenance is fixed at £OOOO per annum.The details of the cost of defending Thursday Island are not named but it is expected that the guns and forts would cost as much as those for Albany. Mr-Forrest, on behalf of . Western Australia, offered to . bear one fourth of the cost of maintenance of these defences, and hoped that' in ten years at least they would be able to bear the whole cost. Nothing has been decided but it is probable that tho , War Office will make a fresh offer which will be settled after tho Conference is over.

(Reuters Telegrams) Londox, May 5. Tho Queen received each of tho delegates to the Imperial Conference separately and then altogether, when a joint Address was presented! In replying to the addross the Queen declared that it gave her the greatest pleasure aud pride to know tho loyalty and affection which her colonial subjects bad developed along with their prosperity and success. Sho congratulated the delegates on tho results of the Conference.

A banquet in honor of the delegates to the Conference was given by the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House last night. Sir Henry Holland in the course of a speech declared that the success or the Conference was due to the tact and loyalty of colonial delegates.