POLICING THE SEAS.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7912, 31 July 1917, Page 4

POLICING THE SEAS.

JAPAN'S PART IN THE WAR. “TO EDUCATE GERMAN RAIDS.” In responding to the toast of “The Allies,’’ at the Empire Day luncheon at the Town Hall, Sydney, the Japanese Admiral Yamaji said:— “It is with the greatest pleasure that I rise to offer you my thanks for the very cordial manner in which the toast of “The Allies” has been received, and for the kind way in which my nation has been associated with it. This is a memorable day, and, in times past, has been celebrated in joyous fashion; but for the last two or three years the function has necessarily asumed a more serious character. Whyt Because we are engaged in the greatest struggle ever recorded in history. We are fighting for the sake of humanity, for the preservation of the world’s civilisation, and to overthrow the appalling German designs against the world’s peace. “Your president and Mr Rickard have.alluded to the services rendered by the Japanese Navy since the outbreak of the war. I now take the liberty, at this representative gathering, to briefly explain what we have done, and may perhaps disclose some things which have not previously been made known. It was on the 4th of August, 1914, when Great Britain declared war against Germany, and Japan did not hesitate long before also entering the struggle. We put forth our full weight without the slightest hesitation, not because we desired any gain or benefit, but because we were convinced that the interests of mankind were at stake. We joined in this war in obedience to the dictates of our sentiment of honor, which is a household word among the Japanese people, and which impelled us to keep strictly to the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. “The declaration of war against Germany was followed by three different naval activities on the part of Japan. First, in the blockade of Kiau-chao, which rapidly destroyed the German naval base in the Far East. Secondly, in conjunction with the Australian Fleet, under Admiral Patey, in the search for the nest of German cruisers (Scharnhorst and others), under Admiral von Spee, the result of which was that the enemy’s cruisers were driven away from the Pacific only to meet their fate off the Falkland Islands. Thirdly, we cooperated with the Allied Navies in the chase of the German raider Ernden, which escaped from Kiau-chao before the blockade was started, and by skilful manoeuvring in the Indian Ocean created a position of trouble and danger which is still fresh in our memory. However, her life, though merry, was not long, and was ended by the historic action of Captain Glossop, the present captain of Garden Island, whom I am glad to see present here to-day, and who at that time commanded the victorious gruiser named after this beautiful city of Sydney. Although by the destruction of the German Asiatic Fleet danger was removed from the Pacific as well as from the Indian Ocean, yet we did not withdraw all our ships from the different theatres, but left some of them stationed near Singapore and Colombo, to patrol the adjacent seas, and they have been there ever since.

“But this was not all. At the beginning of this year, as you are all well aware, Germany adopted the policy of scattering armed raiders in all the oceans, assisted by submarines, with the view of cutting off the food supply of Britain. In the middle of February some ships were sunk off Colombo and also off the Cape of Good Hope. This menace caused widespread gloom, and co-operation was asked by the British Government, and promptly responded to by Japan, and, accordingly, Japanese ships have since been despatched to various oceans and seas. It. may perhaps surprise you to learn that the Indian Ocean is now kept guarded by Japanese cruisers. We have many vessels there. You might find it difficult to believe, unless you heard it from authority as reliable as my own word to you here to-day is, that Japanese men-of-war are operating in the Mediterranean Sea, but it is true. No one who has travelled lately in the Mediterranean could fail to see from time to time Japanese ships. Nor must the fact be overlooked that some of our vessels arc operating in very close proximity to your own shores. Some of you, perhaps, who have had experience of visits of our training squadrons to Australia in past times, may have noticed the absence of cadets from my present ship’s company. This may be explained by the fact that our training ships have been sent here on peace missions for the education of cadets, but we are here on active service to educate the German raiders if they dare to approach these shores. Our ships are here to police this part of the Pacific Ocean, and I regard it as a most happy circumstance that the duty has fallen upon me to take command of them. We are ready to meet any possible emergency, and I hope that our presence will free this country from any embarrassment from enemy marauders. So far as the task of convoying transports and other duties are concerned, it would be inadvisable to say more at present.

“I think I have made it clear that we have not been idle since the outbreak of the war, and what we have done and are still doing is for the sake of civilisation and humanity, and to show our fidelity to the letter and the spirit of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. “There is no doubt that our enemy at the present time is as desperate as he is treacherous, and, in order to conquer him, unswerving determination must be shown all the time, and correspondingly heavy sacrifices are unavoidable. However, so long as Prussian militarism endeavours to dominate civilisation, we must fight to the bitter end, and not sheathe the sword until that militarism has been utterly destroyed.

“On the Western front, where your Anzacs have become a terror to the Prussian Guards, matters appear to be progressing favorably, yet the time for peace may still be remote. And, although there is no reason for pessimism or undue alarm, yet we must not fail to realise that the position is sufficiently grave. We must realise that this struggle demands determination, alertness, and energy, and that everyone must face the situation with steadfastness, and willingly make

all necessary sacrifices for the sake of their country and mankind. This is a time when all civilised nations, irrespective of nationality or language, should fight side by side under one flag, the flag of humanity, as they really belong to one empire—the empire of civilisation.”