THE COLONIST. Published Every Morning Thursday, April 1, 1909. THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY SCHEME.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12502, 1 April 1909, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Every Morning Thursday, April 1, 1909. THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY SCHEME.

When the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth announced the decision of the Federal Government not to identify 'itself with the presentation of an Australian Dreadnought to the. Imperial Navy a few days ago,, he. pfo'mised that his policy speech would cqn.tain very- complete proposals on the subject of defence. Mr Fisher has been as good as his word. The scheme hoioutlined at Gy'mpie on Tuesday night was probably more extensive than the people of the States bargained for, and it is not likely to be carried into effect without very strong opposition ; if, indeed," it can be car- j ried into effect at all-in its present] form. It is the wish of the Federal Government to undertake the whole naval, as 'well as military, defence of the Commonwealth, and by relieving the' Imperial Government of this burden, Mr Fisher contends that Austi alia will be rendering a greater service to the Empire in .the parlous times that appear ahead in regard to British naval supremacy,- than she would^accomplish by a gift of ships/ o.' by a greatly increased naval subsidy. To this end he proposes, in ad- j dition to the three destroyers already | undor order, four ocean, destroyers, ! and sixteen destroyers- of the river class. The cost of construction' he estimated, would be £650,0Q0 iii the first year, £880,000 in the second, and £734,000 in the third, while the maintenance would amount to £168,000 in. the first year, and. to £236,000 in the following one. The Commonwealtlf will thus be equipped with a .fleet which could givo a very warm reception to hostile warships, and the _aiperial' Government will be able to .transfer to other stations four of-five of the second and ..third-class cruisers and gunboats usually maintained- in Australian waters. The only weak, points that experts have been -able— to point out in regard to the "Australian navy proposals, is that the fleet is never likely to be nearer than* ten thousand niiles- from -"•'* the '> only -pr<P bable scene of '."naval '-engagements which may affect the destiny Of Australia. While the -nerve • centre of world government and ' international naval strength remains in Europe, it i3 in Europe that war must be waged, for although isolated breaches may occur at outlying possessions, it is in the last degree improbable that impoitant naval" engagements will take place so far from headquarters. The greatest, in fact the only, guarantee of British supremacy and international peace, vital to the progress *and development of every; part of the Empire, lies in the maintenance of the British Navy at a standard of incontestable superiority, which is clearly now the two-Power standard. In this the ftversea-dominioris may-better assist by generous naval subsidies thanby constructing flotillas of their own. Great importance has. been attached i i Australia tb occasional hints from the Imperial Government that the Commonwealth must look to itself for protection. That this did not refer; to naval defence is clear. It more probably had reference to troubles which will erelong face^ Australia in connection with immigration. That great tiact of fertile country, .the Northern "Territory, is lying unpeopled, and attracting the "attention of all foreign countries with surplus population to dispose of. It is not likely that any attempt will be made to seize the Northern Territory by force of arms; the invasion will be a peaceful- one, and it has commenced already. Only a few days ago the cables contained information concerning a band of German pioneers who had arrived in Australia with the. object, of .founding a" colony. There is a steady-stream of Chinese and Japanese to the Northern Territory, a stream which will increase in volume as the nature and. possibilities of the country are made more widely known. When Australia eventually awakes to the fact that in. the Northern Territory lies ah' asset of incalculable value, arid at the' same time her weakest spot., her efforts to settle the country with -people -of the right class will be seriously '"hampered by ths presence of the polyglot population which ' will ; haye gained a . footing there, and which unchecked, .will eventually, spread farjbeyond the borders of -the land now almost unknown to Australians. The Imperial authorities may possibly foresee immigration restriction difficulties in Australia similar to those of California, r which re-' cently embarrassed the; United States Government, and the Imperial Government would have treaty rights to consider as well as the domestic well-be-ing of the Commonwealth. For this reason the hint of the Imperial authr orities that Australia: look to hei" own security may 'possibly be construed into a hint that the sooner the waste lands of' thev: Commonwealth ara peopled with British subjects the better. '"'.': \