THE BRITISH NAVY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 22

THE BRITISH NAVY.

TEAINING AND DISCIPLINE.

LONDON/ April 19 Manoeuvres of 100 British ships, including eight Dreadnoughts, have begun in the North Sea. The manoeuvres are to extend over a fortnight. ADELAIDE, April 25. Admiral Bosanquet, Governor of South Australia, presided at the St. George "Society's banquet. In the course of his address he gave hi? opinion on naval training. In view of the work which lies before Australia in this direction, he declared that training and discipline ;ame before everything. If these were inadequate, they might spend their money by millions without any good result. In the Uavy a quickly-trained personnel was a terrible danger, and a danger that was the most difficult to discover. As a rule it Was only found when war had actually tommenced. He was as much opposed to war as any man could be, but they existed for war, for victory, and- f° r no other purpose. If they were inefficiently trained, and inadequate in a knowledge of discipline, an enemy would sweep them All away. They must not, however, rely t>n discipline and training, unless they Wore of the very best. This was removed .from the second best by only a slight degree of efficiency, but it meant just the ■difference between victory and defeat, iveij admiral of a fleet on er«y station

in the world must be constantly thinking of war, and of nothing else. It was his business. In the building up of their navy the Commonwealth should pursue a war policy steadily and thoroughly, especially in the matter of training. Be I considered that naval men were not ' thoroughly capable of meeting all the exigencies they might have to meet till they had spent seven years in constant i training. | g