THE NAVAL PROBLEM.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14985, 4 June 1914, Page 4

THE NAVAL PROBLEM.

COLONIAL OFFICE CRITICISED

''.ho Times" thinks Australasia, has * right to feel aggrieved at the British Government's treatment of tbo question of the Pacific.

• "The Imperial Government seems to be singularly unfortunate just at present in its dealings with Australia and New Zealand. A number ol mosl important questions are under discussion, and on each of them constant niisundertandings and perplexities keep arising. These protests are not unnatural. In 1909 Australia and New Zoalatjd onterrd into a v_ery definite understanding with the Admiralty as to the future of British naval policy in the PaciSc. Now they find that this agreement, with every principle of policy upon which it was ostensibly based, is declared by the First Lord of the Admiralty to be inconsistent with the true doctrine of naval strategy. From the Admhalty point of view the need ' tor the ciia-igt. is doubtless eorup.ete.y : deinon&i.uD... Tne dev«._o|-i_,eat of Dominion navie3 in Pacific waters malice ♦xj_i_i_.e__--.-t. uemaax-s upon mc manning resources ox tho -Navy. _>_<.__ ttcer. cannot at present t*o wanned by the Dominions ti_em:.eivcs, aim t__o existing conuitions in Jcuropean waters, deuiand that many more snips shouiu be kept ready lor "instant service taan formerly, so that the men available are fewer now than thcy'weix. some years ago. It should not be toigotten, ai_o, taat the Japaueso Alliance has been renewed since 1909, a fact which has enormously affected strategic is_-_.es in Pacific waters.

"It is not easy, however, for the people of Australia and .New Zealand to icalise the full importance of these facts. They are naturally apt to think of tho isolation of their position. No. doubt it is perfectly true that their real safety depends oh the strength of tho Biitish Navy in the North Sea. ! Bot this abstract proposition is for them a remote and impalpable consolation when contrasted with the 60:.d fact of battleships actually etat-onod m their own waters. There is, moreover, some excuse for them if they have aa unpleasant suspicion that their eifort. to provide warships may serve as an excuse for the Imperial tiovernment to build fewer ships than - would otherutto bo necessary. Tho use made of tho battle-cruiser New- Zealand gives a most unwelcome sting to 'such suspicions. The truth seems to be that the rcs-o s'blo authoriti:. in Great Britain, ab.orbed in their own di-Bculties, have not taken much pains to carry Australia and Now Zealnnd with them in the policy that they havo found it necessary to adopt. Both these Dominions havo refeatedly expressed a desire since 1912 for a * conference on i .iaval defence. It is hard to believe ; th.it the Imperial Government realised i sufficiently tbe great lnipo. r*mce pf i overx>nii"g .difficulties of thi- --'••d. If j. tbey l'rid do .c «-<. a way wo-""*" _ureiy have been found." THE CIRCUMLOCUTION OFJ.ICE. "The Outlook," discussing tiiC cor_«. pouue-ice at-odt the j.\avai Come-encc; says:—"iir iiarcouit has piayd ia.t a A loose with the idea, the documents included in the \V_nte tapers lssueH last week moro than justi.y tr.e colonial protests—the latest comes from /.New Zealand, at the abandonment of ""Lae 1901' understanding. The policy, or went of policy, of the Imperial Government is driving the daughter States ot the Empire into the adoption of wholly undesirable measures _or t*,e creation of little local navies. What else is to be expe-ted, when, for months, Australian Ministers, at any rate, were" insisting on tbo necessity of a Conference, without nnv sort of ra«T>oris& from the Co'onial Oiice? The Circumlocution Office would not be in it acrafnst such methods. A junior Civil Hprvjro cle'k would be c-'clced in a week it ho were so hopelessly Black."