WELCOMING THE FLEET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13723, 13 April 1908, Page 4

WELCOMING THE FLEET.

The suggestion of the London Globe, that a large British squadron might be despatched to Australasia to take part in welcoming ths American fleet, is worthy the attention of the colonial and naval authorities. Not only would it be a graceful response to the courtesy whi:fc is being exhibited by the American Government, but it would be the proper thing to do from a political point of view. Of late years he Admiralty has shown a steady disposition to retire from the Pacific. The China Squadron has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former strength the "Pacific '"quadron,'' stationed at Esquimaulfc, British Colombia, has been withdrawn for a considerable time; our Australasian Squadron is better than it was, but has never been a powerful one. But within the past year or two events have rapidly shown that the guardianship of British interests in the Pacific cannot be safely left to any deputy. The Admiralty has quietly taken the warning of passing events, and is re-establishing the Esquimault station, so that the Pacific coast of Canada will no longer be unguarded. The Australasian Squadron will certainly be strengthened under pressure of present circumstances. And the America Armada is coming into Australasian ports to a welcome warmer than has ever before been given by British people to another flag ; a welcome so general and universal that our Southern fellow colonists are making suggestions for the greeting of the fleet in Auckland which we should hardly venture to make here, lest our motive should be misconstrued. Under all these conditions it would be not only unwise and impolitic, but. an unnecessary parade of indifference, for the Imperial Goment not to have a respectable squadron in these waters' to meet and greet the Americans. With all the goodwill in the world, the Americans ought to be shown that our welcome to them is not due to the inability of the British navy to take adequate measures for the holding of these waters or to our expectation of finding a protection from them which we cannot obtain from our own Imperial Government