SUGGESTED IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12508, 8 April 1909, Page 3

SUGGESTED IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

statement; by mr asquith. the opposition campaign. - ■'■■ Received April 7/ 10.5 .p.m. " ; London," April 7. 7 In the ; House of Commons, Mr Asquith, in reply to questions, intimated that any special conference j)n ; the naval defence of the Empire, would.be; dependent upon an agVeeiuent in thati direction between tnelniperial andithe' — Colonial Governments. The latter had nqtjexpressed a desire for.sucli a conferehce,~ -. : '•' - •.- • - '"'■-,.■' -■ ..',The "jChrbnicle,"- referring^tq.. the proposals of the Opposition for^h'aval .campaign, says :~ "lt is most undesirr, able that the' "Navy should^' ? eon^ tipued to" be dragged along in party ; •ruts, v The fact is that there has b^en too much of. party tactics in this'matter on both sides. The Government, for tactical reasons, combined a cry oV danger with a hj-pothetical way -of nieeting it, and the Oppdsitiou, for tactical reasons, mvi<nii£y the danger^ and reduce the. hj^pethefcical quartette' of- Dreadnoughts to phantom- ■.ships.. Nobody believes that only four Dreadnoughts will be the sum of the Government's programme for 190 f) ,; -yet when the Government proceed to do yebat they already mean to 7 do, -per-., taps they will be represented as beina | bullied into it. This is absurd, and 6ught to be prevented betimes;'.' i.--. .