IMPERIAL AND COLONIAL DEFENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 12

IMPERIAL AND COLONIAL DEFENCE.

LORD N BRABSEY'S LECTURE. ' Lord Bmtsey, in his lecture on " Imperial and Colonial Defence" at Christchurch on Friday Dight, referred to the naval superiority possessed by Great Britain over other Povrers, and observed that We had a powerful element 'of defence in whioh no foreign Power could compare with us in the possession of a continuous line of defended coaling stations on the ocean highways to the East, whether by ths Cape or by the Suez Canal. His Excellency went on to say : — I now approach a branch of the subject of Imperial defence with which it is somewhat hazardous for one in my position to deal. I refer to the APPORTIONMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES as between the mother country and her daughter States. There is at present a tacit understanding that tho Imperial fleet is to be provided and (he defence of the Imperial coaling stations assured by the mother country. You, our fellow subjtcifl in the colonies, provide for your local defence. That local defence is supplied by fortifications at- certain vital points, but jour main reliance must be placed on the military forces which- you have organised. Your means of recruiting these military forces leave- nothing to be desired. You possess vigorous populations, for the moat part country bred, stalwart, sturdy, and brave. You have horsemen in numbers who are nowhere surpasseddn the world. To raise your local army to the highest standard of efficiency a somewhat more liberal appropriation of money is perhaps desirable. More officers should receive a thorough training at Alderßhot and Woolwich. Your rank and file should be able to devote as much time to drill as is given by the fine peasant army of Switzerland. I have said that the mother country has undbrtiken to provide the naval defences of the whole Empire. In Australasian waters, under an agreement made in' 1887, a contribution is paid to the Admiralty by each of the 8e colonies. - The amount is inconsiderable, but it is ■ a recognition of the duty of co-operation, and, on that ground in his recent speech at the Mansion House, the Dake of Devonshire, on behalf of her Majesty's Government, expressed an earnest hope that the agreement might be renewed. Ib is my duty to join with the Government which I have the honour to serve, in urging that this appeal should receive your favourable consideration. It is ( perhaps, premature to discuss the duty of making larger contributions than at present. Another generation will, I trnst, see a rapid development of resources, in population, in public and in private wealth. These countries are still in their first youth. There is more room for expansion in this young country than in the old country, and in proportion ks that expansion t&kes place, I do not doubt that you will do your duty. So long as the sentiments of mutual pride and affection, which now so happily prevail, endure, so long is it certain that every State in the Empire will do its p&rb. To cultivate these sentiments is now tie duty of the hour. To take some slender part in the discharge of that kindly ta?k was the inducement, the only bat sufficient inducement,, to me to take offioe as one of the Governors' of Australasia. IMPERIAL FEDERATION. In contemplation of the future, whether that future be near, or whether more remote, it may not be unprofitable' to direct our thoughts to the changes whioh may be. expected to take place in the conttitutional relations between the mother country and her daughter States. Self-governing States such aa ours could only be expected to take a larger share in the burden of the common defence upon condition of a more full teprezentktion in the Great

] Council of the Empire. Ttiat principle is j thoroughly established under the British Constitution. This brings us to the subject of ! Imperial Federation. It is not difficult to make paper schemes. As treasurer of the Imperial Federation League I had -the honour to preside over a committee* appointed in response to a challenge from Lord Salisbury, to devise a scheme of federation. The committee inolnded Lord Playfair, Lord I Read, Professor Bryce, Sir Charles Tupper, and other public men of distinction and ability. The handing* over of the control of foreign policy to a representative council of the Empire was the leading feature of our plan. Such a step may some day be taken. But it will be taken with reluctance. It involves a surrender of powers now exercised by the House of Commons in favour of the central authority which it is proposed to set up. Such a sacrifice on the part of the British Parliament could only be expected in consideration of a substantial alleviation of Imperial burdens by colonial contributions. The colonies have hardly yeb reached the stage when it would be reasonable to look to them for contributions sufficiently considerable to afford substantial help. If there is no immediate prospect of closer Imperial feder&tiou, it is in the highest senße gratifying to know that the forces asking for union are growing stronger day by day throughout* the length . and breadth of .the \ Empire. .... 1 GUARANTEES OP IMPERIAL UNITT. 1 The unity of the Empire is assured because, with a wise statesmanship, the ties which bind us are loose, and beoause local self-government is absolutely unfettered. In the words of the historian Freeman, " The essential of federal government is this, that each of the members of the union must be wholly independent in ; thosematters whioh concern each member locally. On the other htind, all must ba subject to a common power in those matters which concern the whole^bbdy of member? collectively.", The ! collective interests, in bo far as they depend on Government, are immunity, from attack-, and the joint. exercise of influence all over the world in the cause of peace and truth and justice. It is certain that the collective interests are best scoured by Imperial unity. Local self-govern-ment you have long eDJoyed' in the fullest degree. The concession of full powers of self - government ( to Canada and Australasia was made by statesmen who rank amongst the highest whom the British Empire has produced. It was made by a I Government over which Earl Russell presided, ■ and in which the Eeals of the Colonial Secretary ; were held by the late Earl Grey. , The administration of colonial affairs under that Government has been described by Earl Grey himself in two admirable volumes. He tells us that, to keep. the great and growing communities loyal to the Crown and the Empire, they saw they must bs permitted to rule themselves. With the consequences of the American Revolution before his eyes Earl Gcey was not prepared to say that the loss of our colonial empire must necessarily be fatal to the national greatness and prosperity of Britain, atill he would | have regarded such an event as a grievous j calamity and as lowering by many steps the greatness of his country among the nat'ons of the world. The same opinion was expressed by Earl Russell in his volume of " Recollections and Suggestions" in words of burning eloquence. The policy of Earl Russell and E*rl Grey- has borne the fruit which they desired. The cry for separation is nowhere ! heard, nay more, tlft conviction is happily universal that by our union we shall best maintain the safety and security of every part of the empire. In the words of Sir George Bowen, I a former Governor of New Zealand, •• The true rallying point for the people of the colonies, as j for the people of the Mother Country, is the throne." That throne has become in a stronger sense a rallying point in the present happy i reign. It has now been filled for the long term ' of 60 years by a Queen who is loved by all her I people as perhaps no Sovereign has ever been in any country, or in our pwn or any former age. lam proud to .appear before yon to-night as one of the Queen's representatives in these noble colonies of Australasia.