UNITY OF NAVAL CONTROL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12770, 23 May 1912, Page 5

UNITY OF NAVAL CONTROL.

(Special to Herald.)

AUCKLAND, this day. Aik expression of Opinion as to the, wisdom of the Government's action m the matter of the placement of H.M.S. New Zealand was sought by a reporter from Mr W. J. Napier, m his capacity as president of tho Navy League. "I have always emphasised," ; said Mr Napier, "both m Parliament and elsewhere, that if the Empire is to be one there, must be unity of naval control. My opinion has also been constantly reiterated, that Australasia is barking up the wrong tree, to use a colloquialism, m looking towards the East for possible invasion. The fate of New Zealand, if it is ever seriously menaced, will be decided m the North Sea. ". He added that anyone who 'had read, as he had done for the last 25 .years, the debates m the. German Parliament, both before and after the onactment of the "Navy Law," must recognise that Germany not only aspired to, but would niake every effort td secure world power. Expressions from all sources within the. German Empire went to show that as Germany had an unconquerable army she also sought to secure a supreme navy. "I Was told when m Europe,*' said Mr Napier, "by prominent Germans that they hoped to be ahle to obtain such a navy that even if it was not superior to the British, it would at least be able to give the British fleet such a damaging blow that the sea would be open for transports carrying German troops to Britain. They expressed themselves satisfied that once having obtained a landing the conquest of England was complete, as we had not troops sufficiently trained or sufficiently numerous to expel them. I have therefore, m, my humble way, endeavored to" arouse my fellow citizens to the necessity of out adequately assisting m. the maintenance of an Imperial navy, and I have constantly preached the doctrine' of two keels to ev^ery one as regards Germany. If anybody doubts what the function of the German battleships and armored cruisers is to be let them consider their coal-carrying capacity,; and they will see all are designed/ for offensive action within a very short distance pf the German coast. This is a very significant fact, and I therefore heartily approve, as I am sure the whole of the'members of the Navy League will do throughout New Zealand, of the action of our Government to permit tlie battleship cruiser New Zealand tq join her sister ships m the North Sea."

So far the ■< China squadron' was concerned, Mr Napier said the keeping of any strong naval force m those waters was only a concession to public sentiment. Our alliance with Japan, he thought, adequately secured all the protection that British interests required m Eastern waters. .