DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10241, 2 September 1909, Page 4

DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

A CONSERVATIVE CRITIC,

"By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.]

(Pee Press Association.)

Received September 1, at 10.10 p.m. London, September 1. Lieutenant Carlyon Bellairs, member for King's Lynn, commenting on the Defence Conference, states that the _Aumiralty has surrendered to the critics in deciding to reoccupy the Pacific in strength. The Pacific fleet, he says, will consist of three battleships, officially classed as armored cruisers of the improved Invincible type, but spoken of by -both the front benches as Dreadnoughts ; also 18 destroyers, 9 secondclass cruisers, and submarines. Another change is the abandonment of the all-big-gun Dreadnoughts by introducing 6-inch guns for secondary aimaments. ~ . r , Lieutenant Bellairs says that the Germans hoaxed the Admiralty by the use of painted canvas screens into believing thev had abandoned the 6-mch guns, but when the Nassau was it was discovered that she had 1~ 11-inc guns and 12 6-inch guns. Received September 1, at 10.35 p.m. London, September 1. Lord Charles Beresford, speaking at the Toronto Exhibition, said if the reresults of the Defence Conference produced Imperial organisation for war, m which organisation the whole Empire participates, it should preserve our supremacy at sea intact. He pleaded foi an organisation based on broad national and Imperial lines, founded on the principle of five nations, one navy, one army, one flag, and one throne.

SAFEGUARDING NAVAL SECRETS Received September 2, at 8.45 a.m.

London, September 1. The Government has appointed special detective-inspectors at the 1 ortsmouth, Chatham, and Dcvonport dockyards, with a view to safeguarding naval secrets.