AUSTRALIA'S MENACE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13131, 18 July 1913, Page 4

AUSTRALIA'S MENACE.

CHINESE v.AS SOLDIERS. POSSIBLE JAPANESE INVASION. MELBOURNE, July 11. "My inside knpwledge,", said Major ,0. A. Mitchell, "of the Intelligence Corps,' m a lecture last night, /'makes me laugh to scorn' those who'-state-that we have nothing to fear from the Eastern nations." Major Mitchell said China's military and educational progress was most marloed. The Chinese when trained' were . the best soldiers dm the .world. ■/ i The lecturer asserted that people who, said Japan was harmless* on account of her impecuniosity did not know the full j facts of the case. Japan was m a bad j financial state, but nevertheless millions '! of money yvere being borrowed and used, for military matters.-*, -The 'borrowed: money was being used for the cohstruc'tioti of railways m China and Korea, and six millions had been set aside .for the standardisation of railway gauges.' All this Major Mitchell - contended \Vas a' move m the right direction. -for 'thel building up of a gigantic- Eastern army, j A further evidence of an Easten. invar j sioir was tbe presence of a very large number, of Japanese officers m the islands around Australia. **: The lecturer 'dealt at length with the possibilities of an invasion, and, according 'to his statements and proofs, our defence officials fear an invasion more so than the people* of Australia' think-.. •