The Defence of the Colony.
TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Now that the Defe.ice department is picpaung a scheme for the defence of the colony it would give the pubic moie confidpnee m the defences if submarine toipedo boats were included 'n the defence. If we had one for each of the big ports the towns would be safer than if th"ir price was spent on guns. A fleet coming to take the colonies would have the advantage of the forts, ps they coiOd bornbaid a town when they could not be seen from the fo^ts, as theie are not many wr vessels v.ith masts. A torpedo boat c?n go unobseived faither than guns can throw shot. That would give the defence an advantage over the enemy. I ?ee by the p?pers that the American admiral said that if the Spaniards had had submarine boats he could not have remained in ManilaBay. That was as much as to say he could not have taken Manila. Submarine boats are the best defence a colony could have. If the big towns were protected with submarine boats a hostile fleet would not be likely to land troops on the coast, as they know theie would be plenty of volunteers to meet them. The British are very slow to adopt any new invention until it has been proved, but it will be too late when submarine boats are proved. It is likely they will be proved in a war with England. France has over 20 of them. If they are a success nothing would be so likely to demoralise men as to know that there was an enemy \mdei the bottoms of the fleet, and they could not get at tliPin. Our iiat.onal existence depends on bem= pble to keep our fleet at =ea. If Russia and Fiance defeated us we should nevci have a chtwice to use again Fiance is only a catspaw to Russia. The Russians be-
heve they are the Israel, and that they are destined to conquer the world for God. IC they get a nation down they will keep it down \iutil it is convenient to annex it. Trusting that you will use your influence to get p boat for each port,—l am, etc , L. D. JIANSON. Gibbston, March 25. g
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Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 17
Word Count
380The Defence of the Colony. Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 17
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