Nelson Evening Mail Monday, November 3. THE NAVAL AGREEMENT. AUSTRALIAN COASTAL DEFENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue XXXVI, 3 November 1902, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail Monday, November 3. THE NAVAL AGREEMENT. AUSTRALIAN COASTAL DEFENCE.

THERE is very little likelihood 1 1 of serious opposition in the Aus- ' tralian or New Zealand Par- , liaments to the approval of the new | Naval Agreement outlined at the Imperial Conference held in London during the Coronation functions The basis of contract with the British Government is the simple business one of increased subsidy for a proportionately increased return, and the arrangement is virtually a continuation of the existing agreement which maintains the Australian Squadron. The issue that has been discussed in some of the Australian States, though in no spirit of opposition, is whether Australia, Tasmania, and Nlew Zealand can combine to maintain a navy of their own. But at the outset New Zealand's distance from Australia puts her co-operation practically out, of the <|ue?tion, whi'e the experience of tlie past shows that the best that can be done is to equip in an utterly obsolete manner a few ouc-of-date warship.*, such as the South Australian gunboat Protector, which herself needs more protection than she could ever give Tt is also p-intud out that, ev>.n granting that in time a federated Australia with a greatly increased population, and New Zealand with improved communication, might combine to maintain an Australasian Navy, preparatory training of men mußt bo undertaken, and that the new proposed agreement provides for such traiuing.

It must be further borne in mind that, apart from the need of ability and desire to get ships for au Australian Navy, and to discard them for new types as soon as one class of vessel becomes obsolete, the with-

drawal of a large number of colonia! workers from industrial and agri cultural callings the creation of s

permanent colonial navy would involve might kau to the institution of many political problems which we are now not asked to solve. Then there is the (question of finance, The present Australian naval subsidy is £106,000, and the new proposal from the Imperial Conference is an annual payment of £200,000. The latter sum, if capitalised, would provide the Commonwealth for the next ten years with a, few cruisers of the second class, but it would meet only the expenses of construction, while the manning cf a little toy fleet, mu-aitions, storos, and upkeep generally would involve a much larger outlay. Obviously, on this basis, there would be little or no return iv tbe form of additional security, for at treble the cost of construction and upkeep here mentioned the Australasian navy would be weaker, and have fewer up-to-date vessel?, than one cf the larger South American Republics. Moreover, before the neucleus of a Commonwealth Navy could be much augmented, says the Melbourne "Argus,'' the need of repla ing the oil s-hips by new and of re-arming woul 1 inevitably ;irir,p. ■ * »

The solitary advantage claimed for an Australasian navy is that it would gradually train men to naval defence. But the new basis of agreement with the Imperial authorities rna-tes provision for thiß very process. One of the vessels in the strengthened squadron which the Admiralty undertakes to maintain on this station is to be manned entirely by Australians aDd New Z alanders, while between 700 and 800 seamen will be continually training I on other ships. Furthermore, the agreement assures tho colonies of an efficient fighting* unit, tho Admiralty taking the responsibility of replacing vessels as they become obsolete in construction or armament by vessels of more modern type.

The full importance of these pe^'odica! changes in the vessels can hardly be realised in these lands so remoto from 6fcrifo or the breath of it. But one has only to read the European and American papers to learn that there is headlong international competition in the improvement of inventions for defence and aggression, both by land and sea. For j instance, it was not very long ago I that the Gustavo Zede typa of sub- j marine boat adopted by (France was ' regarded as tho last possible effort of invention. But Narval and Gustavo

Zede submarines ai* ■ already quite! obsolete. Improved types have been 1 invented with magical rapidity, and I it is by no means certain that the! Powers latest in tho Held, like Eng 1 land with her Holland boats, have I not the temporary advantage. Since I the Holland, a designer mined Mr i Lake has submitted plans for a new " submarine," which is under ofier ito the United States ; and a still later invention, a * one man boat called the Moriarty, is being con--1 sidered by the Congress committee, I** * ,

Ihe submarine vvill be a type o vessel which Australasia will not be long able to do without, especially as modern navies point rather to the concentration of forces on foreign stations than to extremely strong home defence. Captain Mahan, that great American naval authority, clearly lays down the rule that in naval warfare frontiers as defined between the home nation and a fore'gu nation on land cannot b 8 recognised — in fact the frontier of a navy is the enemy's coastline. Great Britain's strategy in the event of war with a first-class naval Power like France has been revealed on s-veral occasions during recent years. She contemplates that directly hostilities threaten the Channel fleet shall quit its usual cruising ground and be prepared to junction with tbe fleet in the Mediterranean. When the Fashoda affair looked ugly the Channel squadron way as far south as Gibraltar, hovering in readiness. Those tactics are pursued although England has at present no properly equipped North Sea squadron, and would have to call upon her reserve vessels in some haste to patrol home waters- The decision of the present French Minister of Marine to concentrate the naval force on foreign stations even in time of peace is a further | warning that combination is the object to be aimed at in the maritime warfare of the future. • • •

In all the circumstances, a naval partnership betweeu tbe motherland and her Australasian children is one tbat must give most of the profits to the latter. The obvious futility of an Australasian navy maintained | solely from colonial funds is demonstrated more clearly each year, and hence it ia fair to assume that the new Naval Agreement, which is the one tangible outcome nf the Imperial Conference, will be accepted without demur or long debate by all the Parliaments concerned.

At a meeting of the Nelson Co-opera tive Dciry Company held at Brightwater on Saturday evening it was resolved tbat the seal if the company be affixed tc tbe agreement with the Wilkins and Field Co., Ltd., and that the .[iiestion of insuriog the creameries be considered when these buildings are erected. It -was decided that the*Direclors take immediate steps towards'the erection of acr.ameryat Appleby, in accordance with the lists supplied,' aDd thtt four ot the Company's directors be appointed a sub-Committee o I decide the most suitable position for tin*

Appleby creamery. Accounts amounting to -SU'l were passed for payment. The formal opening of the factory is fixed for Widnesday afternoon, and a large number of invitations to tbe ceremony have been issued.

The n°w Nel- on Farmers' Co-operative Buttai Factory ia row putting its prodact on the market, and it has ben named the " Victory.'" The factory is in iborough working order, and the milk taken daily Has increased from 4-STS to OJOOlbs (lulbs ti the gallon) dm ing Ibe week As the utmost cue i ; oxercised in the analysis of the niillr, a 1 inferior milk being rigidly rejected, the batter turned out has been classod as first grado by the Governmnent Dairy Expert. The bui toi is now procurable at the local growers' eetablishin ?nts.

Mr P. Topliss, of this tity, has received information announcing the death in the old coautry of Dr Coleman, who was well known and widely esteemed in tho Nelson district. As a City Councillor the deceased gentleman did yeoman ser v ico for the benefit <f the city ani its residents. He also di played excellent servico as Honorary Surgeon to the H Battery and tli3 Volunteer b"ire Brigade.

A rather seriom accident happened nn tho Wakapuaka Road yeslerday aftcinoon, Mrs Aldrid/e, wife of the In pector of Factories, being the victim. It appears tbat Mr Aldridge was driving in a tmp, in compaoy with his wife, when the horse shied aud fell, throwing Mrs Aldridge head first on to the road, and causing concussion of the brain. On reaching town the sufferer was attended to by Cr Andrew. On inquiry to-day we learu tbat she is progressing satisfactorily.

The M*rine Depait*nent advise that the buoy at Hapuka Keef, Astrolabe is reported to have disappeared. Masters of vessels leaving Nelson are requesled to keep a sharp I >uk out for the buoy,

Monday next, Oth Novembtr (King's Birthday) willbe obocrced as a gei eral and bank-holilay.

A large number tf local ti'i/.ens, in" eluding Ihi M«yor and City Councillors followed the remains of the late Mr Piper, wife 9f Councillor J. Piper to the cemetery, Wakapuaka. yesterday afternoon. An impressive burial service was conducted by Mr Hercus.

On Wednesday last a hoy is alleged to have fired a blank cartridge from a rifle from a carriage of the N«lson to Belgrove 4 p.m. train. Tbe fetation-master informed the police of the circumstance, and investigations are now being ma v with a view to probable proceedings.

, " The Captive** of Babylon " is to be rendered in tbe School of Music to-mor- '. row c ening, by the members of All Saints' choir, assisted by others, with a full orchestra The work is by James Shepherd and George Shinn, Mus. Baa, Cantab., and it has been sung on more than one oc. asion in Wellington and Napier. Pait t deals « ith the destruction of Jerusalem, and opon-* with a description of thn idola'ro,.B state of the Jewish nation. Their kingdom j..- divide*; and weak, and the c >nf usion and misery under the reigns of Pehab, King of tsr-iei, aud Ahaz, King of Judah, are described. King Hezekiah makes effort t_> reclaim the nation, but the reformation is cbeck(edby lhe wicked Manasseh. Tereniiah, 1 the prophet, also otters prophetic warnings but these are anheeded. It is cnly by the threats of Nebuchadnezzar thai the people are made to fear, and Joienjiab then foretells the destruction of Jerusalem. The approaching of the enemy, tue Biege, and final overthrow* of the kingdom quickly follow, the Jews are carried captive into Babylon, and their capti.ity and yearning desire for freedom form tbe closing theme of the first Jpart. Part It depicts the fall of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar's rulo has ended, and Belahazzai'i is threatened by Iho Medes and Persians. Babybn is besieged by Cyius and Darius but the citizens, confident in the strength of the city, mockingly ask, ** V\'b 0 is Cyrus r" Oue night Uelshazzar niakes a feast for his lords, but to his ust-onuh-nie-jt a hand appears and writes hi* fate up on the wall. By a stratagem the Persian army obtain*, entrance to the city through the bed of the River Euphrates, tho enemy march to the palace and the prophecy of Jeremiah ij fiifilled that " Babylon shall be filled with men as with citerpillars." Cyrus the victor then becomes the Saviour of tbe people, proclaims liberty for them, and grants per- i roissj n for them to reiurn ana rebuild Jerusalem, the kingdom being thus res <red. the solojut-t to.-monow will be ■ Mrs Miss King*, Air Lucas, and j Mr Atmore, and a lar^e number of well- .

known musicians in the city are asssiating in tbe chot:u3 and in the orchestra, Mr H. L/gbt, the organist at All Saintswill conduct, and the proceeds of the concert are to gi* towards the organ renovation fund at All Saints'.

Thi; Nelson Co-operative Dairy Company's butter has been passed as first grade by the Government grader. Ask or it— Vicxour Brand.- Ad?t.

At t'e time Mr. Hugh Caldors, for many years Chief Postmaster ot fche Nelton district, went n sick leave, atd subsequently retired from the service, severe misconceptions arose in regard to the severance of his lon g connection with the public service. Owing to absence and serious anl contiuaed ill-health Mr Calders Ins till now been unable to remove these misconceptions, but he bas officii | documentary evidence to show tbat he left tha Department a!, his own desire, thiit hia service counts from the day he entered the service till lhe 30th September Insr, and that in his final loiter Sir Jo eph Ward expresses regret that superannuation had been necessary. As far back as April Ist of the preeeit year Mr. Caldeis wrote to the Department askiDg to be retired ut less be could be relieved of iud )or routine work and given outdoor work as a sub-inspector. Re was then graDted leave of absence on full pay. & Q d a further special leave of absence on full pay, briuging his continuous service np to JJOth S pt ember last, from which date his pension begins, l'he extension of leave was grautedto September 3oth in a letter dated 22nd August, and in tbe letter inormiug Mr. (.'alders of bis retirement, he Secretary to the Post Office says : — 'ln forsvaidins* tbis intimation tbo P.M G. desires me to convey bis regret Ihat it should have been necessary to ■nperannnate jou on accountof ill health, but he trusts, however, that relief from oflßtial cares and responsibilities will ensure your restoration to health."

The monthly mteting of the Nelson Harbour Boatd is being held this afternoon.

Members of Chri-t Church ani All Saints' choirs are notified by advertisement of the practice of the Synod music at the Cathedral at 7 o'clock this evening.

Messrs Bisley Bros, and Co. repo t tbe bhli of 300 acros freehold 1-md at Upper Moutere, wi h stock and all impruvemei ts theroon, from Mr Daly to Mr C. Drogemuller, junr.

To-morrow, at 3 p.m., Messrs Bisley Bros, and Co. will hold a sale of fleece wool, skius, bides, etc., at their city yards.

Messrs W. "Rout aud Sons report having sold house and land in N ile-street West, opposite Lhe Raglan Brew, ry, from Mr Jas. Delany to Mr J. W. Treacher.

"With a desire to further extend our business, wo have made substantial reductions in all departments, and for this month are offering greaater inducements to buyers. We can offer out clients and the pnblic generally, cheap aud desirable building sites, cheap and desirable farms, cheap and reliable merchandise, cheap, 1 durable, and best makes in carpet? and linoleums, cheap and desirable furniture and furnishings, cheap and up-to-date oream separator^ and t'aim implements. 2ii Ladies' Le Roy bicycles, brakes, and sundries complete, £9 ; Gents' £9 lOs* The greatest value offered to the public. Bisley Bros, & Co.— Advt.

An incident which ended happily chough it might have been otherwise, occurred the other day when Mrs Mumbles | was asked to Bi&u a petition for the pre- . sent site for a post office. She became onraaed, and eaid, " Wbat do yer t ake "me for V I'm not an Andala?ian. The old place is good enough for yer grandmother. I want something up-to-date as will be a credit to tho place and h-dp the worKing man. I'm agin these ere swell cliques aa trine to rule the roost. Good day. I'm off to Bill Lock's up-to-date shop to buy one of the 2<>th Century Atlas Machine?, the best m the world ; also some Linoleum, a Couch, a Cheffonier, a few pairs of Curtains, ani a nice Hearth Kug for my spring cleaning. Lock's is by far the .cheapest and best place to buy Furniture. He rigs yon out c >mpletely for a few pounds, and manufacture*! anything to order. Lock has just received large direct shipments of beautiful and Btyhsh good?, ancl oh— so cheap. I'm going to get some, as I expects Bob homo at Xmas." — Advt.

House, Farm and Station Requisites Tie recent ex ensive alterations in Messrs Bisley Bros, and Co.'s premises enables them to cany larger stocks of gr ceries, hardwae, and produce, which they are now offering to the public at wholesale hates. Parcels delivered to any part of the City, Railway Station or Pi.rt. Slocka include 500 bags Ai sugar at 7s per 401 b bag, flour at 21s 9d per 20 Ub sack, best Ceylon teas in 51b, lOlb, and 201 b I in 3 and 601 b chests fruin Is 3d per lb, Price's sperm c indies from 6^d, Nckon soap fiom 6s 9d p-r box, rice oatmeal, coffee, et". Produce— bran, pollard, chaff, wheat, barley, potatoep, grass seeds. Also, for fakm and station use— fencing wire, wiie mtli* g from bs per roll of 50 yards, roofing iron, roofing felt, nail?.— Enquire Grocery Department Bisley Bros. & Co., Hardy-street, N elson. - Advt.