Imperial Conference.

Thames Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 10525, 25 April 1907, Page 4

Imperial Conference.

OPG!A..MS'ATION OF MILMiABY'

FOKCEiS.

SOME AiN© COLOINfiAIL DEFENCE!.

HON. HP. HiALI>A!NErS AD-DRESS

(Per United P»e«s Ajftocittioo.)

(Beceived 24!thi, 10.55 p.m.)

LOiNiDOINi, April 2i,

The Hon. H. Haldaine!, •addressingl t&exionfeirenicte, urged the deßifaihility of r the; organisation of military forces in-'tibJQ; Empire upon* a ibroad but not rigid: JpatterMi for common purposes. He suggjeisiteld that the newly created general staff aihbuld t« given, an Iniperialkobaraicter, «nd fcg at thle dlispositaonr of all i gjovernimient» or oommanr jii*rfi-in-cihief furnishing advice for! sup?plyingi inifceMigencie of expert, desorip■t^on. He i did ncit desire that suoh #afl should initte sligjhjbesti degree sorest •tihlait autonomous, Atonies must aclc'ept «my direicioai from hk>me in military matters, ibiut trained advice wouldl te ait. their disposal. Mr Haldane fufrtaiEined the conferenlcei with papers dealing 1 witHi the strategical coiiditiionis of the- Etopirs from a military stand point, emphasising! thlreie great principles—first, oligaiioni of self^overning' ctelonies to provide for their own local security; *■ the duty of arraniginig for *mMfcual assi&tataee in case of clommon need; thirdly, the necessity of maintainingi our sea; supremacy. Giteat Britiain . wias organisinlgi a ieirritbriail army for home defemcie, also an expeditionary striking force of naVal and military designed io. assist any part of the . Empire. Hei emphasised the importanoe <>f assimilating: war organp isaition thfougihout the Empire, and tha adoption of a uniform systiem of nomencla.ture. Hie value of dolonial hdp to> the Motherland wouldl :he miufeh increased if tihieir system readily fits into thle war otrglSnisatioii! of thiel Tmperiail! artoy in the ifield. A highly skilled^ gianeral staff alone would supply a common) oonbeption of essenitiialsl. Small flirms ammunition should Ije tilie same paitterhy also adequlaite reserves of sltioresi sihould "bet prepared in time of peiaice. It wasi alsio dtesiralble: thftti BiUfiowomouis oolonies should obtaini ordinamicie- . stioires tikjQugih the War Offide 1.