CORRESPONDENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3268, 18 March 1885, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE DEFENCE OF THE POET. 10 THE EDITOR OF THE TIMABU HERALD. Sib, — I am very glad that the defence question has been taken up by jour correspondents. If a war with Euesia break's out we are nearly sure to suffer hero, especially if we remain m our present defenceless state, and it is well to oonsider what mij*ht happen. If we could not satisfy the claims of the enemy, the place would be given up to pillage if he were able to land m force, or the town 1 would be shelled. It ia by no means im--1 probable that our coast would be haunted • by an enemy's ships, nor is it impossible ' that, with the ships and men at his • command, a landing would not be made • m force on aome part of our coast, even ' if it were only for the sake of destroying as i much property and securing as much pillage f as possible. The larger ports that are defended by torpedo 'boats and heavy guns ' would be avoided, but places like Tiniaru and > Oamaru are quite open, are tolerably rich, i and being defenceless, would invite 'attack. • Those who know the brutal character of such • men as would man the enemy's privateers — , for it is privateers that :we have to ; fear, can imagine the dreadful scenes that , would occur — how our women folks would , suffer and the lives of old and young, com- , batants and non-combatants, be taken m,- , discriminately. Can we forget how our : wounded soldiers were bayone'tted and mangled ; on the Crimean battle-fields? How, then, '* could we expect to be decently treated by a i, lot of bloodthirsty, greedy, lustful pirates - (for the Russian privateers will be no better), :, when Russian soldiers led by Russian gentle- ; men were guilty of these horrid crimes ? >> I do not wish to be an alarmist, but let us be i up and doing. Let us get such guns mounted ; as would keep an enemy's vessel at a ; distance. Let us enrol and drill all those i, who are men enough to raise their hands to d strike a blow for ■ their country and their :- homes. Surely there aro onough old soldiers ;- and volunteers and English gentlemen ; amongst ns to stir up the leaven of ; apathy 6 and don't-care-ishness common to us, and force the authorities to allow us to defend w ourselves, m caae the necessity for doing to n arieei. ■'■-■■■ ■ r ■ ■■ '• : ; a I am, &c, Coiomsr.