OUR NEGLECT OF NAVAL DEFENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15110, 28 September 1912, Page 9

OUR NEGLECT OF NAVAL DEFENCE.

BY CAPTAIN C. A. YOUNG. The organisation of the compulsory system v / of defence is being watched with much in- . terest by many people who do not feel at . „ [ill certain it is the best possible system, of defence for this Dominion. Not that there is any objection to a compulsory; system, for discipline is, above all tilings,' necessary for the youth of every country.. When parents fail to teach their children to respect constituted authority, to Tever-, siico all sacred things, and to honour their ■ King,- their country, and their flag, then ; . J- : the State must teach these things; and i£ the State fails to rise-to the necessity, then- i God help that country. Discipline and self-- - ; control are necessary in the individual, and without them no people can long exist as an,: , independent- community. • - ■> , But this by the way. What is doubtful is, whether we are wise in putting all :,i' our eggs into the one basket of military defence. With all the experience of past ' • time behind us, with all .the glorious naval' traditions of our race in memory, with an absolute certainty that- a powerful navy must be the first line of defence of a sea- , ■ girt country, wo are deliberately putting ./1 5 all our efforts into a land defence force, c ' • So far, many of us have refrained from expressing our opinions in this matter, recognising the difficulties Government and ■ . ' its military advisers arc experiencing in . developing their ideas, but .it cannot be . V expected that we are to remain like dumb- • driven cattle in a matter of such vital im-j portance to the future of the Dominion. • - % It is, supposed that the system of defence ; now being organised in this Dominion is'' : part of a scheme of defence of the Empire . drawn up by an Empire Defence Council , in London. If this supposition be correct, then surely it is the right of the component " \ parts of the Empire, to consider if such scheme of defence is sufficient for their in- ; dividual necessities, and it would seem r that those responsible for this scheme have 'v/r not sufficiently considered . the question,', tj from the Overseas Dominions' point' of ' view. ', V When Lord Kitchener . paid his. hurried visit to New Zealand, it was obvious lie 1 M could not, in the time at his disposal, ■Vitsifc"' v -l the salient points of our coast dcfence.' ' Nor was this apparently necessary, for the advice he gave us was part ,of an already elaborated Empire defence scheme, and was . almost entirely limited to . the organisa- - tion of a land force;.available to form part >' of an expedition to some part of the Em- " pire ■„ overseas. His - selection of ' Burton ■ Point as the place for the defence of Auckland would never have been made had lie V had time to visit the narrow eastern nassage between Cape Colville and the S Barrier Island, which is the passage, - through which all shipping from the South _ * , must enter Hauraki : Gulf 5 v and, -, further,' \ had he cruised among the . islands whichA y block the passage- of ships arriving ' ; from the North. - But, of course, such a survey, / ,7 would be a sailor's business. «> However,' so far as • Auckland )is concerned, and the remarks/apply;i equally to other seaports in New - Zealand, the outer natural defences are where long-range land ;&§ fort guns should be mounted,. and - the'; sS passages between be guarded—in war time j by submerged and surface : mines, ; firedVj-V: by electrical communications from the, shore. To man the forts marine' artillery should Ibe organised, and to superintend the mines a >yorps .of marine ■ engineersr;,?s| would be required. . It seems to the writer that we are-more than a little blind in limiting our 1 "efforts;' f|= for defence to land forces. Surely it were wiser, for many reasons, to train a, largo .-is : i part of our youth to become familiar with \ ■ >the sea. It is all very well for, the pre-; '••' sent to trust to the Homeland's navy for . our protection, but we should consider,our iy' possible future development into a mari- x time Dominion, able to defend itself and 1; co-operate with other : Overseas Dominions "/•- in defence of the Empire. Wo ; should, ; therefore, determine at once to contribute men to man the ships that -protect us, and more generously subscribe the means of building these ships. _ - : v" With this object in view we should organise naval cadet corps, institute naval colleges at our seaports, increase' the number of our training ships for' harbour training and at sea, and, instead of giving . Dreadnoughts to the Royal navy, suggest that a small flotilla of up-to-date - submarines be posted in Australasian waters for training purposes. _ , ',' -~ • If a boy has any of his • Norse forefathers' salt in his blood, the Royal navy lis the finest, profession a New Zealand, ' ~ father can select for his son. For the formation of character and the inculcation of patriotism and self-reliance, the discipline and general training of the Royal navy is superior to the army as a profession. It affords a liberal education, en- ' ables a vouth to see the world, ripens his • v. understanding, find broadens his view of things in general. He becomes acquainted with the scientific discoveries of the age, the habits and' customs . of. different v peoples, it teaches him to mark, learn, and inwardly digest all he sees aroundX;; him, and above all, ho acquires the habit -::; of adapting himself to circumstances,- - a ; habit, which has deservedly earned for the V. British sailor ' the appellation of .-'the ,

handy man." 1 ! . After . a short period served :in ' one of the training ships of the Dominion, he would be transferred to - the Royal navy, say, at the age of 14 or 15, in which •he " would serve for a farther period of five years, before being rated as an able seaman, during which ; time, his education is continued, and he is trained in gymnastics, > signalling, rowing, : and various daily > duties. On being rated as an able seaman, lie is then able to qualify for pro- ; motion and increased pay and allowances - ; . as an expert in gunnery, signalling, and seamanship, until, after 10 years' service, • . at about 25 years of age, he may take his discharge from the Royal navy with npr lump sum of his savings and deferred pay ' of £500. with which to settle in civil life ;, or. if he prefer it, continue to. serve his .y; native country in htr home waters. And • -v'; surely such a trained, disciplined, and .y .j educated man would make a most worthy -.J settler in his native land. As vec, no provision has been made in the Overseas Dominions for the training v- . of cadets to compete for commissions in ' the Royal navy, but no doubt this will follow in time. : If, as many believe, we must in the neas ; future make*common cause with Australia ;;. in protecting our interests in the' South Seas, it is obvious our only means, of ;:W, doing so must be bv sufficient naval force, " ? and it is equally obvious that we cannoft ; :?| too soon begin the training of -our: youth : >£r for this purpose. - -' • While, we must for some time to come . j depend upon the Homeland for protection .' from possible aggression,, the truest way of proving, our gratitude, ts it t certainly would be our soundest policy, would be to encourage the youth of this ; Dominion to adopt the navy as : a ' profession.. IM this way we could best discharge otto obligation to the Homeland, - and ptovida for the liberal education of a number of .. our young men, who would eventually r<y turn to their native land settle down v 1 _. "*■ " " • $!$*