The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1877.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 89, 25 May 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1877.

The Governments of the Australian Colonies seem by no means insensible to the fact, that should England become involved in war with Russia, there is a probability that one of the enemy's cruisers, or it may be a privateer or two, might pay a visit to their parts for the purpose of levying a contribution, and it may be taking a few rich prizes amongst the shipping. The Governments of Australia, we say, are well aware of this, and are taking steps, should such a visit take place, to give their visitors a very warm reception. At Sydney, not content with the formidable batteries they already possess, measures are being taken under the direction of an eminent military engineer, Sir William Jervois, to render them still more formidable, and, in addition, a number of torpedoes are being laid down, so that it would be next to impossible for a ship, bent on a hostile errand, to approach Sydney without running the risk of being altogether destroyed and certainly of being rendered useless for war purposes. There is also a most efficient Artillery corps, capable of fully manning and well working the batteries. At Melbourne, similar preparations are being made ; and at Adelaide the Government has sent home for a large number of Martini-henry rifles. In all the Australian colonies, it is said, that the Volunteer movement is being taken up with the utmost enthusiasm. Such, according to the latest intelligence, are the preparations being made in Australia to prevent "a worrying visit" .from a hostile ship of war. Verily our Australian cousins are wise in their generation. What are we doing in New Zealand to avert a similar visit ? Alas, we fear that echo only can reply. —" What!" — All along our line of coast our harbours are utterly defenceless. We do not believe that there are a dozen guns in the Colony fit for actual service, certainly none fit for being placed in position on shore batteries to prevent a ship of war from entering our ports. We have Volunteers, it is true, and in many cases they have proved themselves to be brave and true men and would do so again should their services be required. There are batteries of artillery amongst them, but they are artillery without guns, or if they have them they are only light field pieces unsuited for repelling the heavy fire of a ship of war. To bring out our Volunteers to beat off such an attack and endure such a fire—and we believe that if called upon they would attempt it—would be only to bring them out to certain slaughter. To come quite home. There is in Akaroa an artillery corps. We believe that the members of it are men who would not hesitate for a moment to risk their lives in the discharge of their duty. Suppose one fine morning,—we say nothing of a night visit, — a small gun-boat were to steam into Akaroa harbour what could our Volunteer Artillery do to repel the invader. With no weapons, save a few rifles, for they have no big guns, and have probably never been trained to work heavy artillery, the only thing our Volunteers could do would be quietly to submit to any terms which might be dictated. We have purposely taken no notice of the two guns planted in front of Beecher's Hotel, as we believe that the effect of firing them would be to smash all tie windows in the locality and nothing more. As it is in Akaroa, so it is in every port in New Zealand. The Colony is just as defenceless as it was in 1869, when a Select Committee of the Legislative Council reported :—" For all " practical purposes there is not a single " harbour which is not exposed to the " effective attack of a privateer or cruiser " carrying heavy guns ; and which there "are no fortified points of any strategical "value, there is no ordnance which .''* could afford the hope of a successful " resistance." A pretty state of things truly, and it is most discreditable to the Government that such a state should have been allowed to continue for eight years and not a single step be taken by way of remedy. We are glad that Parliament will assemble in July so that the whole question may once more be fully considered by the representatives of the people. Indeed we should have thought the exigencies of the occasion quite sufficient to warrant ministers in calling the Assembly together at an earlier period.