NAVAL FORCE ON THE AUSTRALIAN COAST.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1338, 14 June 1859, Page 5

NAVAL FORCE ON THE AUSTRALIAN COAST.

Lord A. Churchill [March 4] rose to call the attention of the Government to the inadequate protection at present afforded to the Australian and New Zealand colonies through the smallness of the naval force stationed there. He said that many gentlemen connected with the Australian colonies had been disappointed by the omissioD of the First Lord ofthe Admiralty, in bis speech on the navy estimates, to promise that the naval force in Australia should be increased. The present force consisted of three or four small vessels, which were a detachment from the forces at the Indian and Chinese stations. The greatest difficulty was therefore experienced in communicating with the admiral. During the late war the senior officer at the Australian station expressed his surprise in the strongest possible terms that colonies so important as the Australian should be protected by so miserable a force. The French had established a naval station in New Caledonia, and were endeavouring in every way to increase their infiuenee on the Pacific Ocean. The question arose how far it was the duty of the mother-country to protect the country hy a naval force, and how far the colonies ought to protect themselves. He thought the mother-country ought to affords facilities to the colonies to form a separate naval force if they chose, and to give them sufficient protection till they had done so. He believed the Australian colonies were ready to form a naval militia for their own defence. One proposition made to the home Government was, that it should send them some of the old ships the First Lord of the Admiralty stated were not fit to be converted into screwsteamers. They might go out jury rigged, [carrying emigrants to defray the expense. They could take out heavy ordnance in tbeir holds. When they arrived one might be stationed at Sydney, one at Melbourne, one at Adelaide, and one at Hobart Tuwn. Tbey would form a naval militia. Ia the event of any hostilities they might be towed out by a colonial steamer and placed broadside on to the enemy. Such a naval force would give confidence ,to the colonies ; and the fact of their being there might prevent any attacks. The colonies felt also that they were in a position to demand a separate naval station; this was recommended by Lord Auckland, but had never been carried out.

Sir J. Pakingtos—l entirely agree with my noble friend, that whether it be with respect to naval force or any other matter, the Australian colonies have the fullest right to every friendly consideratio 1 at the hands of the Government; but lam not equally disposed to admit the truth of the words used by him in his notice as to the " entirely inadequate naval protection" of those colonies. At all events, I am in a position to say that, be their defence adequate or inadequate, it is much more- effective than it was when I succeeded to the Admiralty. At that time the Australian colonies were defended by oue vessel only—l am sure by not more than two. The Sappho brig was under orders to proceed from the Cape of Good Hope to strengthen that squadron, but unhappily she was lost, and I am afraid that all hands perished with her. Since that time the Aurelia sloop of war has gone to Australia from the Kooria Mooria Islands; and in the course of the last summer I ordered two other sloopsofwar to proceed fromtheChinastation to strengthen the Australian squadron. The result is that at this time that squadron consists of four men-of-war, two of which are screw steamers; and in a letter which I received very recently from Captain Loring, the commanding officer of that station, I was assured that in his opinion that squadron was amply sufficient for any necessity which could arise within the colonies. I hope that so far my statement will ! be satisfactory to my noble friend. This question touches another matter, viz., whether we' are prepared to erect a naval station in the Australian colonies. Since I have been at the Admiralty I have been- in communication with the government of Sydney'with a view to obtaining possession of an island in that harbour called " Garden Island," and we propose to appropriate that island at least to the reception of naval stores for the benefit and assistance of her Majesty's vessels in those seas. That arrangement is at present iv its infancy. I mention it to show my noble friend that we are not unmindful of the necessity of having some naval establishment in those seas, and I- hope that it will soon be so far matured as to meet all the requirements of our fleet My noble friend mentioned a fact of which I was not aware—that it was the intention of Lord Auckland to make the Australian station a separate command. It is my intention to carry out a similar arrangement. The Board of Admiralty have come to tlie. determination that the Austra »in colonies ought not to be nominally attached" to the India and China station, and we therefor* propose to make it an independent command;, -.-■','