DEFENCE CONFERENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13969, 2 August 1909, Page 6

DEFENCE CONFERENCE.

MR ASQUITH'S SPEECH. MB BALFOUR'S REPLY. I'teri Associafcion-By Tdegraph-Uopyrjghi LONDON, July 31. Mr Asquith, in continuation of his speech, in. Committeo of Supply on the army and navy estimates, declared that the business of the Admiralty was to maintain the naval supremacy at such a point' that. Britain could not lose command of the sea. The statement was received with general cheers.

Mr Asouith. continued!: —"And as against any reasonable possible combination we must hold the sea, and make invasion an impracticable event." As for the Home army, its real function was opposition. The business of the "War Office was to have in all the a. properly organised, equipped force, capable of dealing effectually with a possible invasion of 70,000. If both these naval and military conditions were satisfied, it was the opinion of the Defence Committeo that the country was safe from invasion.

Mr Balfour's reply to Mr Asquith's speech showed that he, like the committee on Imperial defence, had altered his views on the question- of invasion since 1905. Ho emphasised his belief that the Defence Committeo was absolutely right in its conclusions.' New circL.instances Lad arisen. An invasion by a. force of ,70,000 was a, thing the Defence Committeo must .contemplate. The existence of the Committee of Defence would facilitate more consultation with the colonies, with a view to obtaining from them invaluable advice regarding the defence of the Empire. Sir C. Dilke questioned the wisdom of spending a large sum upon- the terrtorial force of 400,000 men. This ritorial force of 400,000 men. This npon the fleet. He added: —"We should have to strain every nerve to meet the financial pressure necessitated by the maintenance of the fleet at a great strength." His opinion was that a large Horns army was of secondary importance. . Mr A. H. Lee (Conservative) declared that Mr Asquith's speech was incomparably the most interesting and important delivered in the House this session-

COLONEL FOXTON'S VIEWS. MELBOURNE, July 31. The Prime Minister and Minister of Defence -were bombarded -Kith questions regarding Colonel Foxton's utterances at the Defence Conference. The Ministers replied that the delegate ■was entirely free to discuss any question that came up, and they refused to answer more questions without notice.