A.—6.

of Her Majesty's officers in the navy would be glad to go out to some of the colonies in the capacity of training-officers. I can also state that many suggestions have proceeded from the Government to the colonies with regard to the formation of a system of naval defence for the colonies. During the last few years there have been constant communications between the Agents-General for the colonies and the Admiralty on the subject, and our naval commander in those seas has also been in frequent communication with the Governments of the colonies in reference to their naval forces. In reply to the next question of the noble viscount, I have to state that there have been proposals made by the Admiralty as to a scheme of organization of a colonial naval force, but the Admiralty are of opinion generally that it is not desirable that they should initiate any such scheme, but should leave the colonies themselves to initiate it.' In order, however, to facilitate the initiation of such a scheme Bear-Admiral Tryon, before he left this country as Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's vessels in the Pacific and in the Australian waters, had communications with me and with my noble friend the Colonial Secretary, in order that he might be able to lay before the Australian Governments the views of Her Majesty's Government on this matter. I need scarcely say that this question has been very carefully considered by Her Majesty's Government during the last three years. The next question of the noble lord, being based upon the supposition that nothing has been done in the direction it indicated, falls to the ground, inasmuch as the Admiralty have already stated that they will be most happy to assist in every way those colonies who wish to form a navy if their Agents-General will be so good as to communicate with them upon the matter, and on this point I now publicly invite such communications to be made to us. As to the question referring to nominations to cadetships in the navy, I have to say that those nominations have been thrown open to the colonies for many years, and the colonial young gentlemen are admitted to the navy upon passing a qualified examination. Such papers as can be properly published will be laid upon the table. The Earl of Cabnaevon said that his noble friend might congratulate himself upon having elicited a very important statement, which was well worthy of the attention of the House, and their Lordships would read the papers moved for with very great interest, because he understood that many applications had been made, and that they would show what it was that the colonies wanted and what the Government were willing to do. It seemed to him, however, from the statement of the noble earl opposite, that the whole burden of initiating a colonial naval force had been thrown upon the colonies instead of Her Majesty's Government taking it upon themselves. It was in the memory of many members of that House that some few years ago an Act was passed for the purpose of establishing a colonial navy, and it was a question of no small interest why that Act had failed to answer the expectations of those who desired that it should be passed. That Act had, however, failed to secure that amount of naval discipline which was desirable and necessary in a colonial force, and to bring it into close connection with the British navy. One objection was that the Australian Colonies were either unwilling or, at all events, unprepared to accept joint liability for the defence of the Empire. The facts had disproved this, and there could now be no doubt as to what the disposition of the colonies was. But there was also another objection which claimed great consideration, and that was that Australian ships must never be removed from Australia for Imperial purposes. He was bound to say there was great reason in that objection. His own view, however, was that, first, they should be able to secure that any ship or ships created by Australian expenditure should be maintained on the Australian coast, and, secondly, that those ships should be brought into connection with the Empire, and, where practicable, interchanged, becoming part and parcel of the Imperial naval force. He owned he was disposed to go a step beyond his noble friend. He thought there would be no harm in arranging that every Australian officer in the Australian naval service should directly hold the Queen's commission; secondly, that they should give to the Australian Government or colony the same number of commissions as would be represented by ships which they established and maintained. These ships should be placed—and he would admit of no compromise on this point—under the direct control of the English Admiralty. Nothing short of this would secure the incorporation which they wished to see effected between the colonial and Home naval forces of this country. Either these colonial ships "would be maintained on the colonial station or rendered available and interchangeable in time of extreme peril. It had been his lot to watch the growth of feeling in the colonies on this subject. In 1878 he made proposals to these great colonies with regard to incurring joint liability with the Mother-country in various matters, and among others in naval matters, and if his proposal had been adopted much of the trouble which had since arisen in the South Pacific would have been prevented. Still later he was chairman of a Colonial Commission, and there was then much more practical co-operation than before. That was four or five years ago. Since then they had advanced nearer to a common ground. He deprecated the conduct of the Government in not taking the initiative in this matter, and he sincerely trusted that the result of these communications would be to bring about the cooperation of the colonies with the Mother-country. The Earl of Deeby said they were all agreed that it was desirable the colonies should provide for their own defence, but there would be no disposition on our part to drive a hard bargain. On the contrary, the disposition would be to deal liberally with the colonies. But he was free to say that he went further than this, and that he agreed with his noble friend that the time was very auspicious for the consideration of these questions. There was no doubt various circumstances had arisen to develop a stronger feeling of self-defence and co-operation with the other parts of the British Empire than had existed before. He did not think they could bring forward any plan of naval defence until after the creation of a federal authority. They could not deal with a question of this kind with several divided authorities. Then his noble friend said that this was a question as to which the Imperial Government ought to take the initiative, and that the Government ought not to leave the matter to the colonies. The question of securing joint action between the Australian and Imperial navy was one that had been carefully considered by Her Majesty's Govern-

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