DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

Mataura Ensign, 24 May 1909, Page 3

DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

<♦ * THE NAVY'S PART, AD Y ICE TU THE COLONIES. LOxNBOxN, Alay 23. Lord Noi'thcoto (late GovernorGeneral of Australia) presided a t the Australian banquet at the Trocadero, « nen there were IUO guests present. Lord Charles Beresford, the guest 01 the evening, said the dominions' best help was not by spending two millions in battleships to serve in British waters, but by making efforts to defend themselves. The only way the dominions could be hurt wiis by culling their trade routes. Torpedo boats and submarines in the dominions' waters would not aveH that danger. It was most unlikely that a foreign cruiser would enter a dominion harbor lo blow i(l town lo pieces, but it would attack its water-borne commerce. The investment, of two millions in home defence and in cruisers which would , protect their iraue routes would be a belter investment than helping to defend Great Britain's shores- Commencing with cruisers, the dominions might eventually have larger craft, and they could have lleets ready equipped before the itosyth base was finished, it wa,s essential that these lleets be controlled and administered by the dominions, but in war time thoy should join tiie Imperial Fleet. in peace, let the dominions' cruisers join the .Mediterranean Ueot and vice versa. Ofticers and men could be interchangeable. That would be an exlicient method of making the imperial Navy, then when any joi' the component parts of the Empire were attacked, the whole Kinpire would go as one great service ty its assistance. Australia had splendid men, but. i raining was essential as they could not,

.-.u'n their duties in a month, a year, or oven two years. 11 things went on as now, it would be impossible lo maintain the two-Power standard, but that would be easily kept if they bad an Imperial .N'avy. He considered it absolutely necessary to ha\o eight battleships built this year, but these were insullicient for the fleet they have Lo form owing to the deferred obligations of the last four years, but there was no need for panic.

ill- T. A. Uoghlan (Agent-General for New Soulh Wales) proposed the British-Australian trade, and 111- C. U. Kason (Agent-General for West Australia) proposed success to the Imperial t'ress Conference.

Air .1. O. FairfaXj, of the 'Sydney Morning llerald,' replied.

"Sl'lKiT OF NATIONALITY .LONDON, May 22. At; the Colonial Institute banquet, ilr A lire" 1 LyttelUm (lix-Secrotiury oi SUite for \ho Colonies), who presided, said lie considered the part Great Isi'ii.iin and the overseas dominions •un..i. play during the iiexl. ci-miiry would he largely dependent on tlio eomiujf Defence Conference. He was in absolute accord with Canada and Australia ill their desire to possess their own navies. Everything ought to lie done to foster a, spirit of nationality in the colonies as thus Croat Britain would derive greater lienelit than from merely contributory aid. Lie believed this was the prosent Government's view, but it was necessary that these navies should have their place in the Imperial organisation, and time was required to form national defences and exercise 1 hem in readiness for war. The column Conference might supply a formula of union, which at present, was inissing. When Australia and Canada. arrived at their lull stature they would take tlicir natural places among the forces ol the Empire. ill- t.ytil'hoii, amid cheers, relerrcd to New Zealand's sinendid audacity iii offering' Dreadnought-:*.• Other speakers included Sir Gilbert Parker, the. Agents-General, and several Anglo-colonials.

THE S'J'.ISEMITHEXED FLEET. LONDON, May 22. Speaking at Lowestoft, Dr. MacXamara. (Secretary to tlio Admiralty) announced by Easier, 1912, tile fleet would be so strengthened that Germn.ny could not api>roacli us, and our ship.s being of the lateßt and most ellicionl. types should add to the margin of superiority. Bii IT A I.YS Dil KAI >X () I/O HTS. I.OXDOX, May 22. Several newspapers report that owing to thy revival ,o( the Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria and Italy, and the building of .Dreadnoughts- by Italy and Austria, the Home Government a,re building eight Dreadnoughts in the present tinanci a l year, besides accelerating the production of guns and armour. Mr Asquith will lie questioned on the subject.

lIFAR IXC Til K BURDEX. Received Mitv 21, !) a.m. OTTAWA, .May 2;i. Ihe council of the Canadian Mamtlacturers' Association ol Toronto has passed the following resolution: "That tho sell-governing States in return Millie .Motherland'-.' protection /;!init!'! bear a. share of the burden of lin|>na! dejeuce I heivi'iu c we approve ol' ! inrecent action Dominion i'arlialiicni. sn sending dch-gaics lo England to :tisctt'is the nava situation."

PATRIOTIC SCHOOL CHIi.DR FX. DARG A YILLE, .May 21. '! lie school children, acting on the .suggestion ol tic chairman of the committee (Mr I''. .). Dargaville) have opened :t penny Dreadnought, fund. All the schools in the Dominion are (o be asked to open a similar lund, and the amount subscribed is to be handed to Sir Joseph Ward with the request that a piece of silver be_ purchased and placed on Xew Zealand's lirsf. Dreadnought as a gilt troin the school children of Xew Zealand.