THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1882.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6346, 21 March 1882, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1882.

Tiik Government of New Zealand may be wiser than the Governments of New South Wales and Victoria, but whereas both of them have made provision for the defence of their respective territories, this colony lias done nothing. If to-morrow England were engaged in a war with the weakest of naval Powers, we would be defenceless, except as regards the protection which the Queen's ships might afford. On this protection the colony could not rely, because the duties of the Australian squadron are numerous, and its chief duty is, not that of a defensive force with respect to any of the colonies, but to keep the command of

the sea. Tf it were engaged in the de-1 fence of the least protected of the! Australasian colonies, the enemy, how- ' ever feeble-, might roam the seas with impunity. Colonel Colomb has shewn in numerous and very able papers, read by him before the Colonial Institute, the inability of the British fleet to do more than -watch the movements of hostile squadrons and protect commercial highways. He has pointed out that each assailable point of the Empire should be capable of self-defence, and the British fleets be thus left free to intercept attack. It cannot be everywhere, and thus, if it be engaged in defending New Zealand, the Australian colonies would be left exposed to a determined attack. Conscious of this fact, or influenced by other considerations, the Government of New South Wales has made very considerable efforts to provide for the defence of the ports of the colony, and more, recently the Ministry of Victoria has resolved upon the completion of de"fences previously commenced, and now to be greatly extended, to secure the colony from attack be the British squadron where it may. It has resolved to procure two gunboats, similar to those known as the Alpha boats, armed by Sir William Armstrong for the Chinese Government, two Whitehead torpedo boats, and further, to complete the land fortifications, to prevent the entrance of a hostile squadron into Port Phillip Bay, thus securing Melbourne from attack, except by land, which would be a most hazardous proceeding. Of the Russian squadron lately cruising in these waters, only one vessel visited this colony, but the whole of it appeared off Melbourne. During its stay, the Age had a despatch assumed to hare been forwarded by the Russian Government as to the mode of attacking the place. The Russian Admiral took great offence and made representations to the ' Government of the colony, and struck by this fact or by the skit which appeared in the columns of our Melbourne contemporary, the Ministry has decided to make the colony secure against the attacks of a squadron having less amicable intentions. It has accepted the lesson and determined that no other squadron shall be master of the position. If the remonstrance of the Russian Admiral had assumed hostile form, the Government of the sißter colony would have been compelled to eat humble pie. It proposes to better the instruction.

The action of the Ministry of Victoria is a lesson to ourselves as the remonstrances of the Russian Admiral with regard to the skit in the Age is a warning. It is monstrous that this colony should be defenceless, and exposed to insult and loss from aggression by a hostile vessel, however weak, beirause noLiilng whatever is done to enable it to resist a' naval attack of a hostile Power. It is quite certain that the British squadron engaged in the defence of the seas cannot be relied on to protect any particular colony, or any particular port. It is equally clear that it is impossible to provide adequate defence at a moment's notice, and thus so long as the present donothing policy continues, this - colony may at- any time find itself the victim of a hostile attack. At this moment there is not a port in New Zealand which does not lie at the mercy of any hostile cruiser which might manage to escape the British Australian squadron. The weakest vessel of what is known as the Russian pirate fleet, could to-morrow lay half Auckland in ashes, if it refused to purchase security by the paymentof a ransom. It would be, indeed, an optimist view to suppose that the colony could always be defenceless and yet escape the penalty of its apathy, and it appears to us that we ought to take a leaf out of the book of the sister colonies, and make reasonable provision against a fugitive attack. If an individual with the opportunity of insuring his property were to run the risk of fire, he would be regarded as singularly imprudent, and this is exactly the position of this colony with regard to external attack. Everything is left to chance, with tho hope that the best and not the worst may happen. But, according to the calculation of chances, this cannot be, and an anticipation of the best cannot render us secure against the worst. In the absence of the worst, the public take the chance of the worst very easily, but were that worst to happen, had some one or more port to buy off hostile attack, or be subject to destruction or plundering, the Government would be reviled very bitterly, and we should all be very wiseaftertho event. It seems to us that the most ordinary prudence renders it incumbent on the Government to place the colony in a. position of respectable defence against attack, as a mere matter of the insurance of property. The British Government having given us self-government is entitled to expect that we should help ourselves in this respect ; the Australian colonies might reasonably complain that for want of this self-help attack might be encouraged, which might subsequently be diverted to their shores. If the defence which is requisite would entail any large expense it might be pleaded that it would exceed the financial ability of the colony. But that is not so. There is not a port in the colony which could not be efficiently defended for a moderate outlaj', and thus the Ministry neglects its duty when it makes no provision for a reasonable security from attack, unless we be wiser than the sister colonies, or some charm protects us against the evil results of. adverse fortune. The state of European politic s

at the present tinie affords no assurance of the maintenance of a prolonged peace, but apparently nothing will be done till the enemy is knocking at the door, and it will then be too late.