CUTTING THE PAINTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14158, 6 September 1909, Page 5

CUTTING THE PAINTER.

♦ — THE REMOTE CHANCE, LOCAL CONTROL OF NAVIES. ADMIRAL BERESFOED'S VIEW. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Coprrl St. f'Beeeived September 5, 5 p.m.) Ottawa, September 4. Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, speaking at the National Club, Toronto, said if the Imperial Government interferes with the oversea dominions in any way in the control or administration of their defence forces, and endeavours to place the dominions in a subordinate position in which they might not care to be placed, he thought there might be some danger of the dominions declaring themselves independent. " Wei!," continued Lord Charles Beresford, " if* they did declare themselves independent, who was going to oppose them 1 You don't suppose the Old Country would do it." It would, he continued, be regrettable if the dominions declared for independence, yet they had a perfect right to do so, but he did not believe there was any shadow of a chance of their doing it.

A LOCAL NAVAL UNIT,

XEW ZEALAND'S START. In referring to the wisdom of the arrangement made by the Defence Conference, whereby the. New Zealand battleship will be made the flagship of the China unit of the Imperial navy, while some of the ships of that unit will be located in New Zealand waters, the Aetinir-Minister for Defence (the Hon. Geo. Fowlds) said tc a Herald representative: "I look upon this as the high-water murk of Imperial statesmanship, leaving as it does the way open for the creation of a New Zealand unit of the navy as soon as ever the people of New Zealand feel competent to undertake such a responsibility." DEFENCE OF DOMINIONS. Admiral Lord Charles Reresford, in a recent speech, said the overseas dominions could best help the Empire, not by spending two millions on u battleship to serve in British waters, but by making efforts to defend themselves. The. only way the dominions could be hurt, he proceeded, was by cutting the trade routes. Torpedoboats and submarines in dominion waters would not avert that danger. It was most unlikely that a foreign cruiser would enter a harbour of one of the dominions to blow a town to pieces, but it would attack water-borne commerce. The investment of two millions in homo defence and in cruisers which would protect trade routes would be' a better investment than helping to defend Britain's shores. Commencing with cruisers the dominions might eventually have larger craft. They could have their fleets ready and equipped before the Rosyth base was finished. It was essential that these fleets should be controlled and administered by the dominions, but in war (hey should join the Imperial fleets. In peace, let the dominions' cruisers join the Mediterranean fleet and vice-versa. Officers and men could be interchangeable. That would bo an efficient method of making an Imperial navy. Then when any component pans of "the Empire were attacked the whole Empire could go as one great service to its assistance. Australia had got splendid men, but training was essential. They could not learn their duties in a month or a year, or even two year;. _ If things went' on as they were now doing it would be impossible to maintain the two-Power standard, but that could easily be kept if they had an Imperial navy.