TRIDENT SLIPPING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 516, 25 May 1909, Page 7

TRIDENT SLIPPING.

DOMINIONS' DUTY. AN APPEAL BY VICE-ADMIRAL POORE. THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE. CAPACITY OF THE MAIN FLEETS THE TRUE TEST. (ni xiMaßirn—γ-ress AssociATtoN—corrEtoßT.) (Hoc. May 24, 11.35 p.m.) ' Sytfnoy, May 24.-.; Speaking to-day (Empire' Day) 1 at the Royal Exchange, Vice-Adniiral Sir Richard Poore, Commander-in-Okiof of the Australian Squadron, said: '•..'■'. ; Still Mistress, But Challenged. ■ A year ago Britain held the unchallenged and proud title of -Mistress of tho Seas. Wβ hold that.title still, but not unchallenged. \Vo are brought faeo to face with the fact that under certain conditions our peaceful command of the seas may be endangered. Wo must strain every nerve and gladly mate any sacrifice so that that command of the seas shall bo recognised as absolute. ';<■'■ Germany has reached the point of being able to build as speedily as Britain, so that, in three years from now, she ; will: have an equal . if not a superior, v force of the last typo' of. battleship ready for tea. Tho. Triple■■'Alliancei ''also exists. : Germany Is a Power. In tho Northern Seas; Austria'.and' Italy"'' ' are Powers in the Mediterranean; and ; both the last-named Powers arc building ■ Drcadnou'ohU. Any r disaster to the ■'.■'■ British Fleet in the North Sea or jn .'; tho British Channel imperils the safety of the Empire. This fact holds equally , flood with regard to any disaster. In ,v:': the.': Mediterranean/:,.. In, 'either "case ' 'the trade routes to the East and to Australia would be cut. ~ '■■■"..' '■' •;■;■' I do not speak as an alarmist or as a pessimist. .I, simply put forward my opinion, as a naval officer, spoaking on his 'own.responsibility.Wo.have looked grave.crises in tho fac©;ih. the .past, and tho raco is never at its best until it is faced with an emergency.

Babes That ■ Should Work Together.,'"*.':: ■Why '. a Vstate of. things -which threatene Onr.existence , as an' Empiro ehould suddenly have been brought, te pass is a matter difficult te: understand.' If'there lire two; raoes in 'the world.which shoultl march'Bido 'by side they are the British'.and: the Teutonic races.: Both are mercantile, in their instinct; both have world*wido experience; both aim for thesettlemont. of: 'great- pflpulAtfons whose ■ instincts' 1 and '"• feelings, aro ; almost; ■identioal. .Consider'/tiabVcapitaV invested in Vho world's affairs by tho British and tho -Tent|onia( races. Should oither fail, thero n'ouJd bo a world-wido financial catastrophe. Consitlor what a. power for good would ensue from the two races mooting in commercial rivalry only, Instead of this peaceful competition thero Unfortunately exists at present an extraordinary and acute military '. '' antagonism, for which I cannot but' think thore have been excuses on both sidos'/'Tho preserit crisis must be mot by co-operation between the Mother , Country and her colonies. In the naval ' schemes put forward, Australia should - resolve to meet the danger which Is common to all parts of the Empire. The Dreadnought movement shows a < keen: appreciation of the fact that the first and foremost necessity is the command of the seas. The Australian sohomo to provide a torpedo flotilla would be a great advantage in the defence of Australian ports or as an auxiliary to Britain's main ' fleets if ever they are engaged 'in these waters; but the trtio defence of Australia lies in tho capacity of tho main fleets of tho Empiro to overpower tho main floett of tho enemy. Whatever form nflval defence for local purposes may take, it must be under Imperial control,

'./The'personnel m\jst bo trained by Imperial officers and men, and there muet bo a constant flow of officors 'and mon—Australian or otherwise—passing /. from the great naval .manoeuvre grounds.- -There can bo no divided control ! in; naval defence; there can only be , r ohb .Fleet -and, one /Flag.' :/:.■/■ w- •.;;' ■■'.' ■v■t ■' V \ •>':. / '-'■ K'ttori .• waV .■ ;■' ;■ '■■. ■). ■■■ .;• '■■■■ } ' .The. third scheme, of an Austrah'an Navy is one that this- is not the , time to discuss. If Australia can build .fifteen.Dreadnoughts or their equivalent in tho next.-five years: jot duty in the Pacific and equip them, well and good. But the period: with: Whioh wo. are concerned is the next five years ; /Wo must'act NOV/, an\l that word "now , !, must be spelt in capital.letters.. If we. are united and roaliso, the need, we will in tho end hold our Own; if wejare.not united or lot matters drift,-/caoh of us will be more;or less : responsiblo should disaster occur. . ;. '-.

; : :' ADMIRALbERESFORD'S THIRD WAY, k A way" was voiced Vy Admiral. lord Charles Boresford in.his speech »ep6rted in yesterday s issue.Ho suggested a suitable olass of oruiser as more needod than oither the monster battleship on. the one hnnd.or tho little destroyer or submarine on the other Ad lniral Beresfprd said:-- ' x ■ • - ■■ "Tho self-governing.Dominions can best rendor. help to the Motherland, not by Spendbe two millions on a battleship to sorve in British .waters, but by making efforts to defend themaelyes,from the enly measures by which the Dominions aan be hurt-that is, from the outting of trade, routes by an enemy's fleet The oxistimco of torpedo boaU and submarines in Dominion watery would not avert that danger It is most unlikely that a foreign cruiser would enter a Dominion harbour in order to blow « '-town:.toypieces, but it would attack' W aL r borne Commerce. The investment of two mil lions;in homo defence and in cruisers' which would protoct trade routes would be a-betfer investment than the expenditnre of a similar sum in holmng to defend Britain's shores Com mencing-with cruisers, the Dominidns misht eventually have larger craft." / . ffll « m i