SCHEME FOR COLONIAL INDEMNIFICATION.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XVI, Issue 5179, 28 May 1885, Page 3

SCHEME FOR COLONIAL INDEMNIFICATION.

The following is a copy of the letter sent to tlio Premiers of tlieY various! Australian

Colonies, by tbe-Hon. W. B v Dalley, At6rnoy'Senoral and acting Colohial'Secretary Ne«r,So.nth. ..Wales, .on, the. receipt pf !V«?6rio"from. a '" : dolbnie : 3''for lbsses' Which,,' in .'itlie'ovent of'war,' might be ; .sustained^ by and'places in- resisting or. Vefusing the demands-;of eneniy. The New : Soutll^y.alQß ; to but the New Zealand ,-.Government nave' determined to consult -Parliament thereon.— . '

/ a Colonial Secretary's Office, ; ; 1 1 ' . . Sydney, May Gth, 1885." "Sir,—l have the honor to submit for

your consideration a matter which seems to . be one." upon which a prompt and unani-. • mous determination on the part of '. all the Australian .Colonies is. extremely 'desirable; The attention of this Government has-been

directedto the necessity of endeavouring, in : the presence of impending war and 'possible Vf injury. to,'some portion or portions of ,'Aus tralaaia, to provide for united effort.: in* the

first; i place, in averting or; diminishing disaster; and in the second;,in : dividing, jas far as possible,; the losses which it may entail. In ; a seaboard/of sizph a' length jas that order ito ;giye; ; ,cpmplet6 and universal; security,iwould have to be guarded

by and a I power;th.an:any,,w.hioh,eifcher:the:.'lmperial « or Coloiiial Governments^;can furnish, ft! is ■ ■*■ by;any .'expenditure . of meansjor; : by;.'anyvexercise; 'of : vigilance absolute - freedom;from injury, >But..the powor to inflict serious disastermay fremosfc effeottially weakened by-, a' united deteniii.j 7 nation. to' under any .circumstances, {'; ,: ariy"conces3ions which may be demanded by ;' -an enemy, and by anabsolute denial of all

f-'coalandsupplies, It has been pointed out

station,'in- a valuable ..paper—which, in .; ; vthe|.form' of , a letter addressed to me,; is ~ appended ..to this circular .commuiiicatiori-

"r'-that these demands are likely to be made in

'' "'places thafr have.no defensive, works, -and "the 'inhabitants of which might' be ; conseij' qnen'tly exposed to the severest injury. - As Si : beroio resistance circumstances ~: W(jiild'beVthe mo3fc effectual/ service that vifconldijbe renderedi.to the: entire- group of Colonies, it is submitted that it ought to be undertaken under the amplest united guar-, ante? of all the Colonies .that - the places Isoi resisting should be reimbursed to the full extent of all sacrifices made an'd^all-injuries : ' Bußtained;- under such circumstances,. The : general, r delehd3 : would be most effectively : served by-snoh an arrangement, and all considerdtions of justice and a rightappire'eiaand our duty in sharing them and mutually helping and supporting eaoh other; tend Sto eßteblisK'thVnecessity of stieh an undertak-

.^ith; a, view of bringing about an • immediate- arrangement this Government ( undertakes, .if the Governments of/the.other Colonies concur 7 in* the'course

v proposed; to pay'its full proportionate share of all injuries inflicted upon any'portion!of i!s|K6 ; 'Aiißmia&'- : Oal6nieß''wUoh' ; 'my' be oc* . [•oasioned by the resistance of suoh places ;to "'the requisitions of an enemy,' by refusal .to fii furnish supplies, by the coals if- find'vessels carrying ,them,'fo as to prevent their falling into-the han3s of .an enemy,, •and by participating in the expense which' ; ?f?i-may be involved in providing for the widows !f'!aiid; : ;brphans-'of' those, defenders'of; the in; sustain'ing such resistance. The Sovernment of this countryhas diminished aa far as is in m>iits power the possibility; of ; the cruisers of obtaining coal at any of the mines;: "^■jsan.'controltHe ; r sifcnatioh:, efFectivefy- unless bri.iihe basis.of ia. oommon . guaranteed in-.. s 1:5 'demiiific ; agaiil s6 by;thpse inspired* . in. the interest of t , out that a'n' enemy. eould'easily seize .vessels odal-rfaden/ aniL'briifg thein (.:::intd.s'afe''and ianprotected harbors, of which -there'arff'seyeralon the coast boffinorth and "® !; south;of Sydney,' and;there. coal-with jmpii.nity.' 'No'moro certain and .efifeojttml/prarA ■ this 5 could- be .adopted; than |a i ' 'general order.on the part of all owners and .j •• j r ,agßnt? to'destaoy them - ; fclisii. permit an.enemy, to "seize their iepa4, ; :;with 'the conviction that -the entire coatofthe sacrifice wpuld beborneby the '! JAnd:l.nothing' would,"; more \:itHorooghly,:operate: as.a deterrent.to the 1 ; Invasion -of 7these - shores ■ than the know- | ledge of thefexistence' of; such a universal J ' and to' . so arid- fully treated. iu ; the letter aty^teohed to.this; paper that it is unnecessary • theease Hubmitted'afcgreater leiigtli. - fiideration l Of ; this prop'psalfor united action, t to L with;: yon ■ to the fullest extent, acoepting, any; modifications' ■"iitwhicli may be suggested, provided that";the.' object which it is proposed to attain shall sub--BtantiaHy.be,effected,. . Acopyof this.lettev naihas.-.been' addressed-to. all .the; Australian Govetbmehts;—lhayey &<£,'■' l" ' i" ' f BEDE DALLEY."