The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1888. AUSTRALIAN NAVAL DEFENCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1731, 4 January 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1888. AUSTRAL I AN NAVAL DEFENCE.

Now that New Zealand has passed the necessary Act, all the self-governing colonies, with the single exception of Queensland, have given m their adhesion to the Admiralty scheme of Australasian Naval Defence, and it may be predicted with certainty that at the next sesstoa of her Parliament the one recalcitrant will throw m her lot with the rest. This being so, the carrying of that scheme into effect may Ibe regarded as a certainty, and as jit is the first practical step towards the realisation of the great idea of the federation of the Empire it possesses an interest such as attaches to no other event of the past year. The articles of the agreement, which is for a peuod of ten years (teiminable after eight years upon two years' notice), are twelve m number, and set oul the following mutual undertakings and responsibilities: — The Imperial Government undertakes to furnish five fast craiscrs and two torpedo gun-boats of the " Archer " (improved type) and " Rattlesnake" classes of Her Majesty's Navy, to be provided, equipped, manned, and maintained at the joint cost of Imperial and Colonial funds. These vessels are to be placed m every respect on the same status as Her Majesty's ships of war, whether m commission or not. They are to be under the sole control and orders of the Naval Commander-in-Chief of the Australasian station, and are to be retained within the limits of that station, and can only be employe^ beyond these limits with the consent ot the colonial Governments. Three cruisers and one gunboat are to be kept always m commission, the remainder being held m reserve, m Australasian ports, j ready for commission whenever occasion arises, and notwithstanding the estab-| lishment of this joint naval force j there is to be no reduction m the normal strength ot Her Majesty's naval force employed on the AU6tr»lUa putio'n. Jtotfts this, it is

specially provided by Article XII that m time of peace two ships, either of the normal Imperial squadron or of the joint force, shall be stationed m New Zealand waters as their headquarters — a condition of the agreement for which, this colony is indebted to the energy and foresight of the Stout- Vogel Government. In case of emergency the two New Zealand ships may be temporarily moved to other parts of the station by the Naval Commander-in-Chief, who is, however, required m such case to inform the Government of the reasons I for such temporary removal. The first cost of the vessels is to be paid out of Imperial funds, the colonies paying interest at 5 per cent on such cost, but to an amount not exceeding -£35,000 per annum. The colonies are also to pay to the Imperial Government a sum not exceeding a year towards the annual cost of maintenance of this Imperio- Colonial fleet. The proportions payable by the colonies severally will be determined on the basis ot the 1 respective European populations, and the annual cost to New Zealand will, it is estimated, be about This, it appears to us, is a very moderate insurance upon the value of our commerce, and when it is remembered lhat the vessels stationed on our own coast will expend fully that sum m the colony, it will be seen that the arrangement made is one of a very satisfactory nature.