THE DEFENCES OF THE COLONY. (LYTTELTON TIMES)

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1805, 31 January 1884, Page 4

THE DEFENCES OF THE COLONY. (LYTTELTON TIMES)

Wilt, .anything we wonder, come from the Litest enquiries about harbour deienecs ? Thcie have been so many attempts m.ule to find out the best way to set about the woik, that it really looks as if no practical beginning would ever be made. Everbinoe the oltl Piovinoi.il days we base had Commissions and [nspectois, aud all sorts of experts examining the harbours ; all kinds of plans and suggestions have been sent in, even puns have been procured, but not a spadeful of eaith has been turned over for the construction of the necessary batteries. In Lyttelton, there have been tor sex era! years, a number of beautifulgnns stored away : and we remember how pleased everybody was when they were landed, in the hope that something was to be done with them. Since then Colonel Scratchely has been here, and has been taken lound the harbour in the tug-bo.it ; the piesent Governor has been here, and has gone round the harbour in the tug-boat ; and now Major Cautley has come, and has examined the harbour from the deck of the tug-boat. All this time our splendid guns have remained in their shed, probably progressing more or less l.apidly tow aids the honeycomb stage : and, as far as we can see, there they aie likely to remain until that stage is fully at rived at. lo be sure, something else has been done : A few torpedo boats have been constructed in England, and one of them will soon be stationed in Lyttelton. But, after all, one torpedo boat will scarcely s-uflicc for defence of the haibour, We fancy that Major Cautley's visit is not likely to lead to much more real action than those of his predecessors. There is not the least doubt th.it lie is an officer specially qualified to ddvise in the matter, and wo are quite sure that he will send in an admirable repoi t, whether on the lines of that of Colonel Seratchley or not, we cannot say. But then, when'he has repoi ted, what next? Harbour defences cannot be consti noted for nothing ; nay, they will cost a gtcat deal of monoy. If our readers have paid attention to the financial position of New Zealand at piesent, they will ha\cseen, as we pointed out in our article three days ago, that the deficiency of levenue at the end of the current pciiod will be something rather serious ; it will be lucky if the Treasurer can escape for loss' than -CIoO.OOO. Under these encumstances, such matters as the defence of our piincipal poits will assuredly ha\ c to give way. The breakwater .it New Plymouth the Otago Central l.nlway, the maintenance ot an enormous, patronage army m the Wellington offices and such things, will have to be piowded ior fu^t : and the pigeonholes of the Premiei's room will probably be for a long time the resting place of schemes of defence for the millions of propeity in our chief cities. And it must be 1 cmembei cd that, e\ en if all the forts, battei les, 01 whatever else may be recommended are built, they would be of no use unless propei ly kept in ordcr.garnsoned, and leady at .ill times. Wo h.ive no deshe to depieouite the Volunteer foice of the Colony. Still, it is a fact, we believe, that the commanding officeis in the difleient distucts aie simply gentlemen engaged in ouliiuuy business who have taken to soldieiing in their intervals ; and, excellent as they may be, probably their capacity tor acth c operations would bo limited. In Victoiia and New South Wales, where the people have had the sense to bo practical and prompt in the matter of defence, there aie forces specially engaged for manning the harbour foits; and in New Zealand this would have to be the case too. Consequently there would be required a large annual appi opi ldtion for harbour defence. Whence the Treasurer could derive the necessary sums we cannot well say, unless fiom direct taxation, in the face of the deficient levenue. And any Treasurer proposing such a thing as direct taxation for this purpose would have a particulaily hard task before him. On the whole, we fancy that Major Cautley will follow in the paths of his predecessors and quietly repose in the pigeon-holes of Wellington ; and our splendid guns will lemain still in their sheds, things of beauty peihaps, but not a joy for ever.

Tjti. Duke of Beaufort is about to play the pai tof an editor. He is hupervisiug the preparation of a series of small volumes dealing with spotting matters. The seues will be called the "Badminton." W. Clvrk Russell certainly makes the ocean useful in the way of getting a living. Another salt water book from his pen is at hand. This is a collection of sea terms and their definitions, entitled " .Sailor's Language." Victor Hugo's new work, " L'Archipeldc la Manche, " is to be published as the fcmllelon of the Pans ltnpple. The " Archipel de la Manche " is the Channel Islands, where the author spent 18 years of exile. Waiting mud : "Good morning, doctor ! My lady sends me to beg you to come to her husband as quickly as possible ; she does not wish him to die without your assistance. Vimtok : "Is the Baron at home?" Footman: "No, sir; he sends word to you that he has just gone out." Visitor : "Good! Give the Baron my compliments, and say that I didn't call."' I\ T O-N k Chapter. — Boy — melon — shady spot — secluded nook — yum ! yum ! all gone — boy sighs — colic comes — boy howls — mother scares — father jawsdoctor comes — colic goes — boy well — wants moie — (notice of funeral hereafter). Tur: Bra7ilt vx Akmy. —The Brazilian army, like the British army, seems to be at present in a rather disorganised condition. The ex Minister of War in Biazil, in a speech he made the other day at Rio on milit.uy matters, gave a melancholy account of the laxity of discipline that prevails, not meiely among the rank and file, but also among the higher officers. One of these, the colonel of a battalion stationed at Rio, on hearing that he had been passed over, went to the department of W.n, abused the officers there all around and swore that if the Emperor did not see justice done he would let them know what 300 bayonets could do in the streets of Rio. The hospitals, also, the exMinister asserted, were in many parts sinks of financial corruption. Some officers frequently received for medicines four or five times their active pay, and leeches were hired four or five times a month at 80 cents each every time. Electric collais were supplied at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars, and j " feeding bottles" figure in the accounts for over 50,000d01, " as thongh," added the ex-Minister sarcastically, "the military hospitals were nurseries for children." Whatever may be the case in Brazil, the military hospitals in England are becoming, beyond a doubt "nurseries for children;" and m a few years a feeding bottle will probably be an indispensable articb in the British soldier's kit — unless the War Office authorities provide the army with wet nurses. Rats and Mice.— lf you wish to destroy them get a packet of Hn l's Magic Vermin Kili br in packets, 6d, 9d, and Is, to be obtained of all storekeepers, or from T. B. Hill by enclosing an extia stamp. One Shilling.— Francis J. Shortts' I Popular Art Union. — Ten first-class Oil Paintings by celebrated artisfc>. 5000 tickets at Is. The prizes are m.ignificent and costly. Country subscribers sending stamps or otherwise will ha\e tickets by return post. Enclose stamped envelope for reply. — Fkancis J. Shoktt, 140, Queen-street, Auckland. — [Advt.] Life in the Bush— Then and Now. — It is generally supposed that in the bush we have to put up with many discomforts and privations in the shape of food Formerly it was so, but now, thanks to T. B. Hill, who has himself dwelt in the bush, if food does consist chiefly of tinned meats his Colonial Sauck gives to them a most delectable flavour, making them as well of the plainest food most enjoyable, and instead as hard biscuits and indigestible damper his Improved Colonial Baking Powder makes the very best bread, scones, cakes, and pastry far superior and more wholesome than yeast or leaven. Sold by all storekeepers who cam ob« lam it irore any merchant i? Au&Uod;