DEFENCE CONFERENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13974, 7 August 1909, Page 5

DEFENCE CONFERENCE.

THE NAVAL }>HASE

V-5 Association-By Telegraph-Copyright London; August r>.

The Defence Conference to-day discussed phase, of Imperial defence. > •

COLONEL FOXTON'S STATEMENT

MELBOURNE, August G. connection with Colonel Foxtou's cabled statement in reference to the naval subsidy, Mr Deakin, in replying to questions in the House, said that Colonel Foxton was justified in making the statement he had, made. According to the Federal Minister, the assumption which had been given currency that Australia is to agree with New Zealand and other parts of the Empire in raising a lwau to create a cruiser, squadron iu the Pacific, is wholly unwarranted. It .lias not vet been settled that' any cruiser fleet is to be formed, or the presentation of a cruiser is to be made.

CA RS-NOT 13ATTLESI11 PS

OTTA WA. August 0,

Mr\A/urplty, 'Secretary of State, in the Dominion Gabiiiet, .•'tlcclarc'S thai the people of "Western Canada :ire apathetic in relation to Imperial defenw, ami want closed freight : ears more than battleships.AT A CLUB snKKCItES' BY"B^LEGA:TES. I'eceived 10 p.m., August 6th. LONDON, .-August 6. At the "United Service - Club dinner Sir F. ißorden said that a few years ago-the Canadian forces were a .disorganised mob. Now they could put 50,000 men into the field, and another 50,000 in a few weeks. Canada was going--to do its duty vitli the. navy, for which she was beginning at once to lay a foundation. In case, of trouble she would join and lielp to maintain the Empire, and-Canadians would give all the money they could get and help with men to man the fleet. ■ ■ ; Colonel JToxtou said the great bulk of the electors of Australia had coinO round to the view that - the real defence of Australia would not be in their waters, but that the crucial test might, have to Ire fought many thousands of miles ayvay^rom.tHpijc shores. Australia was -prepared-to fall into line with any suggestion wl.iich might be made by the. Imperial authorities!. (Hiey hoped to maintain iv. standard y-hich would hear a fair comparison with the standard of the British Navy, so that ' when tli<? time came their union of ships might bp fou\i.d-.capable of taking its full share,; of, the which might be thrown uppn Australia, as an integral portion of the. Empire. They in Australia claimed that blood was thicker than water, and .realised that the empire consisted of one people and one flag, and that there -was one destiny for them also. General Smuts, said it was true that blood was thicker than ;wateiy yet in another' sense .there was something that was thicker than blood—the tic. of - honour was even greater and stronger. He hoped that as time went'ou it would : be more and more realised that it was not ' the tie of blood which held- them together, but the tie of community of interests, of justice, of fair -play,., and of equality. "When ' they saw the-.wonderful naval displ.ty at Softhead, they did not forget that in the last. i;esort it was nqt .machinery or honour or cold steel «hich told in a struggle, but nerve.