COLONIAL DEFENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9718, 14 January 1895, Page 5

COLONIAL DEFENCE.

OPINIONS OF ADMIRAL BOWDEN

SMITH.

IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS. Press Association.—Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.

Sydney, January 12. Admiral Bowden Smith, in the course of an interview, said that no station was better supplied with coal and docking accommodation than the Australian Station, first class docks being situated in Sydney, Melbourne, , and Auckland, with docks of smaller sizes in Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers. He considered that the Australian Squadron in its present strength, was qnite sufficient for any emergency. Cruisers of the Tauranga class were excellent vessels, but rather small for keeping in all weather on this station.' He still found ib vary useful to have a certain number of mauted vessels to carry on the work among the South Sea Islands, not only because sail power enabled them while on a cruise to economise coal consumption, but also because that class of ship was found more comfortable and cooler than the modern steel cruisers. With reference to the defence of the ports, he said that ib is a matter of the greatest importance. Sydney, he thought, as head quarters of the squadron, should be absolutely safe from attack. He thought that if the means could be found for adding some first-class torpedo boats, the knowledge that such boats existed would bo a source of anxiety to vessels threatening the port. Sydney, to his mind, was peculiarly adapted for torpedo defence, which could be easily manned by the local naval brigade. From a naval point of view, it would be an excellent thing if Fiji was connected with Australia by means of a Pacific cable. _ In concluding his remarks, the Admiral paid a high tribute to the kindness of the Union Steamship Company in carrying letters and intelligence, which had been of greab use to vessels under his command.