The Ensign. FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1909. DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

Mataura Ensign, 19 March 1909, Page 2

The Ensign. FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1909. DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

'I lir discussion iu liio llouse ol (ominous <m the A'avul Estimates Inis created ii sensation throughout tinI'.nipirc. This is not lo be wondered hi. seeing the |talaiiionufc importance ol adequate naval <Ji• lonen lo the various portions of tin; British dominions. ii in probably noi Ino much to say tliat, it is tin- strength oi llii' .Navy thai lias enabled thr many scattered territories which shelter under the British Hay to develop "'"-I to maintain that ireciloni which was won and handed down Lo thr present generation hy our forefathers alter much strenuous lighting. Uermaiiy has Hindi! almost superhuman elfurts of late years to over!ake and il possible surpass lii'i' groat rival in commerce. Jn order to protect that commerce it was necessary to iound a groat navy. With this object money has been poured out in vast amounts and sacrilices made the extent of which wo colonials have little concc]itioti. There is an intense patriotism in the tinman Kmpiro which prepares llie people to submit to any discomfort provided it leads to supremacy on land and sea. ill war and in commerce. Our .Navy League is an extensive organisation, having branches all over the liritisli Ihupire, hut there is little enthusiasm in llio bulk of its members. This is not the case in (iernmny. There the League is a live organisation and it has had the effect of stirring up the people to meet the gigantic, demands made upon them to build and equip a navy of modern vessels which bids fair shorlly to surpass that of any other Power. Though there are vor.v largo bodies of Socialists in the country ivlio view with distaste, any warlike preparations, their number is not great enough to ailed the purpose of flic (I'ovenimciit. The leverish haste with which (icrtuany is constructing Dreadnoughts is an evidence that she has an object which is considered by her statesmen lo In"of vast importance. Wo arc told that, by it'll she will have 17 of these battleships complete and ready lo take their places in the lighting squadrons should occasion re(|iiiro il. By that time (ireat Britain will be possessed of only 11. And though tips statement has since I hero is probablv trmli at the back of it. The leader ol the Opposition in Ihe British Parliament fears that the nalion cannot maintain the Iwo-Power standard. fl it, call keep a strong onePower navy il will be doing its utmost. The Iliberals have nol risen lo the occasion as I lie.y should have done, (ireat Britain cannot alford lo allow any Power to surpass her upon tlx- .sea, iter population has become divorced li'oni tho land ami is now dependent upon oversea countries for food supplies. (She has iu truth become a nation of shopkeepers and manufacturers instead of the sturdy and heroic nation of bygone generations which stood up against a world in arms. There is no question as lo the bravery oi her people wlion called upon by national danger, but they have not the same warlike spirit that their forelathers possessed. This is evidenced by the. decline of _ military enthusiasm and by the fact that, tho Territorial Army has not, yet reached tho number required. The pressure of taxation 'or naval construction will come upon the, Mother Country at a peculiarly inopportune time, for now (hero aro vast numbers of unemployed on hor streets. I his state of affairs cannot bo viewed with other feelings than anxiety. It means that in the fierce competition of l lio commercial nations the Old I.and bas for a time at least been outstripped. ]( means also that her legislaiors have belore them a stupendous social problem. Now it would seem that another problem no less important and nrgent has come, up ]',,r solution, for I be great ocean highways by which the lood of the peoplo is brought to the shores of Great Britain must be deluded against the fleets of the world. Hns will entail an enormous expendi-"li-o and consequent sacrifices in taxaHi'u on the part of the people. Tho manner in which the Government atlacks the problems mentioned will bo watched with interest. The probability ''l .Mr Astjuith securing a majority -liould he seek tho verdict of tho counIrv upon the present position is a very I -lender one. He lias to face 1 lie pro''li'iiis with a .Ministry which is said to be anything but unanimous upon the deiencc question and he may find it necessary to go to the country before many months have elapsed. The nation has at all times bravely faced anv serious difficulty which has confronted it and there i.s no reason to believe that tho.so which are before it now will not be met with equal conliilojice.