OUR VOLUNTEERS AND THE PEACEAT-ANY-PRICE POLICY.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 234, 7 March 1885, Page 3

OUR VOLUNTEERS AND THE PEACE-AT-ANY-PRICE POLICY.

Does it not seem a strange anomaly that at the very time when the relations between the Mother Country and Russia are so critical, when our troops have met with a check in the Soudan, and a great European war seems to be brewing", the Government of this colony devotes so little attention to the question of defence ? In the event of England being involved in a life and death struggle against one or more first-class naval powers, she might not be able to spare many ships of war for the defence of the Colonies, and consequently these would be thrown on their own resources, and be exposed to raids from foreign cruisers.

Yet in the face of this imminent danger the Government displays a suicidal supineness. Sir George Grey," during his term of office, imported, at an expense of some £4:5,000, a number of heavy guns for the defence of the ports, but the guns have ever since been lying- in store unmounted, so that in case of the Mother Country being suddenly involved in war we should have to make our preparations hurriedly and perhaps badly. "We believe the IST aval Artillery have not even been trained to the use of these guns — a task that would occupy some time, during- which the enemy might be at our gates. Of course, Sir William Jervois has drawn up a plans of defences and fixed the sites for batteries, but the Government remains singularly apathetic in the matter.

For one striking example of false economy take the case of the forthcoming Volunteer

Encampment. The Government, or rather the Defence Department, is so mean that the Volunteers are driven to the expedient of getting up a performance in the Theatre l-io3'al in order to raise funds to defray part of the necessary expenses for the ordinary comforts of camp life.