The Defence of Australia

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1352, 14 June 1905, Page 3

The Defence of Australia

.A Warning Speech MrDeakin Points Out the Weakness Press Association.—Copyright. Melbourne, this day. Mr. Dkakin, in the course of an interviow oh. the question of defences, said that Australia, which used to depend largely oh isolation, was now within striking distance of sixteen foreißu naval stations. The ■.'defence forces, were inadequate and imperfectly supplied, and the war material was exceptionally woak on the naval side. There were no vessels or forts, capable of properly defending the coasts, and ho was doubtful if tboy were prepared to nicot. a dash by cruisers. They were ■markedly deficient in defensible, coaling, or refitting stations. Ho did not. think Australia could aflord an extension of the naval agreement until she had placed her : harbours, coaling stations, aud naval bns-ia in'a'Gt sta'o for protection. A great influx of desirable aotttors was necessary with a view to efficient dofence of tho whole continent, Given that, ho had the highest hopos for tho future naval iovelopmoht. Ho added: "The very ka-t that..we can be content with is Btich ,ku expenditure on our dofenco forces as will bo. a. reosanable guarantee of the safety of onr ports, cities, and coasti" London, June 13

The .Merning Put, commenting on the Dealiio interview, says it would be better for Australia to have its own navy, as a navy is the only means of producing a school of.Sfimen ab!a to grasp tho problem of naval strategy, and ndvisostho CommOnwoslth, without being suspectod of ppiitipul bins, that the existence of such a school is of the utmost importance tp the ompiro, inasmuch a? it would be abloto convince Australia that its fate depends on co-operation with the British Admiralty.