EMPIRE AND NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 485, 19 April 1909, Page 5

EMPIRE AND NAVY.

COLONIES''DUTY. ' ARE DREADNOUGHTS OVER-RATED? GERMAN WAYS SUPERIOR. |UJ TEI.EUIUI-11—IMtESS ASSOCtATION-^COIT-UIOUT.) (Rco. April 18, 4.50 p.m.) London, April 17. Dealing with the communication sent to Aushalia bj tho Labour paity (who congratulated Mr. Fisher on declining to be a paity to "a panic that Has engineered for political purposes") Sir John Colomb (naval and military strategist, 'an nuthority on Empire, and formerly a Conservative M.P.)'has written a letter-to Mr. Arthur Henderson, Labour lendrtr in tile Hotfse of Commons. Dreadnoughts, writes Sir John Colomb, oro, i over-rated. Ho approv'es a suggestion in ifavour of colonial Contributions'to the Navy ■ on business hues, not as , determined by-waves 'of impulse. ' Ho fears that tho Admiralty organisation lis defective, as compared with that of Gerimany, for modern conditions. ' <

GIFT SHIPS. HOW TO LINK THEM WITH COLONIAL , DEFENCE. NOT NECESSARILY BATTLESHIPS. (Rec. April 18, 4.45 p.m.) London,' April 17. "Tho Times" comments on Canada's proIposal to' discuss tho question of defences '\iith the Admiralty, and the Australian Ministry's request f.or the Admiralty's views, .and repeats Lord Milner's dictum that co'operation is not a question of shifting burdens, but of developing fresh centres of 1 strength. 1 Though the Mediterranean is tho natural station for a donated Dreadnought, "Tho Times" advises tho Admiraltj to so appjy 'tho money from -Australia 'and New Zealand 'that they may at least visit the colonies, lit would be still better to permit the contributed ships to co-operate with the Commonwealth's Fleet of destroyers. As possibly iDrehdnoughfs are not donsideied tho best 'typo for, that) station, the money might bo Idevotod to two or three cruisers of the best jsort for the purpose. "The Times" approves the speech of tho IPrimb Minister of the Commonwealth, in tohich he suggests the development of the lAustralian naval forces until'they will bo table to reliovo the British Navy of the -work 'of policing the Western Pac'ific. A SINGLE CONTROL IN WAR TIME. Melbourne, April 17. Referring to tho statement in the London the effcot that tho CominonWalth Government has cabled that in tho bvont of emergency the Australian local haVal forces would bo placed unreservedly under tho Admiraltj's direction—tho Minister for Defence (Senator Pearco) states that babies were sent to the -Admiralty a few Idajs ago sotting out the basis of an agreement for iho control of tho local navy. Tho publication of portions of the proposals may Jndioato that the 'lias decided to becept thorn in that particular regard, Tmt until the whole- agreement is mado public l>y the Admiralty he could not disclpso its terms. (Rec. April 18, 4 45 p.m.) London,' April 17! I Router has published a synopsis of tho Cortimonwoalth's naval dispatch to the bovernment. , ADMIRAL BERESFORD AS ADVISER. Melbourne, April 17. The State Treasurer, Mr. W. A. Watt, proposes to suggest to j\lr. Fisher, Federal Prime Minister, that he should invite Admiral Lord 'Charles Beresford to visit Aus-' tralia and advise the. Government in regard to nnval requirements. MANNING OF THE NEW FLOTILLA. v Sydney, April 17. The Seamen's Union proposes to confer \\ith. Mr.'Fisher, tho Federal Prime Minister, on tho question of manning tho Austialian Navy.