THE ALL-RED ROUTE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXII, Issue 12437, 9 April 1908, Page 5

THE ALL-RED ROUTE.

Discussion at Colonial Institute

Press Association.— Telegraph.— Copyright] Received April 8, 10.20 p.m. LONDON, April 8. A meeting of the Colonial Institute, Lord Derby presiding, discussed a paper by Lord Strathcona dealing with the All-Red route from an Imperial standpoint. Tho6e present included the Hon. W. P. Reeves, some Agents-General, and other representative Australians. Lord Strathcona defended the St. Lawrence route. He declared that the channel would have a minimum width of 1000 feet and 40 feet deep at the lowest tide up to Quebec. He emphasised the necessity for Britain maintaining a supreme up-to-date merchant marine, particularly in the Pacific, in view of the potentialities o.f trade. He did not claim that the scheme would be self-sup-porting at the outset, but the route would create its own trade. He added that steamships built in England would provide a good investment. Sir John Colomb emphasised the coming struggle for supremacy in the Pacific. He said that auxiliary cruisers would be useless without battleships. Admiral Douglas considered there would be no difficulty in coaling, and said there was ample accommodation at Fanning Island. Captain Collins (Commonwealth Agent), said the Suez route was inevitably more valuable to Australia, but the Commonwealth agreed that it would be an advantage to have an alternative route. The Hon. Reeves declared that the unforeseen success of the Pacific cable and trade created via San Francisco were a good omen for the All-Red route, whereby, though he admitted Australia relied upon Suez, New Zealand and Queensland would stand, to gain considerably.