"THE WEAKEST PART."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 546, 29 June 1909, Page 5

"THE WEAKEST PART."

BERESFORD'S VIEW. I DEFENCE OF EMPIRE TRADE ROUTES. A STRATEGICAL BUREAU. ' (By Telcffraph.-Press Assdciation.-rOopyrißht.) London, Juno 27J At iho closing sitting of the Imperial Press Admiral .' Lord Charles Bercsford, in dealing with the problem of how help should,bo given by the Dominions to the Mother Country—on whom alone tho weight of maintaining the two-Power standard presses too heavily—added:—; "Don't lot us be in too great a hurry. Don't lot us bo too long. Defence should bo.of a kind that it is instantly aiblo to bo turned into attack. '. ' Standardisation and Exchange. "Standardisation is oil-important, as a means whereby temporary exchanges of officers, men, and ships will be poesiblethroughout the Empire." Admiral Beresford continued: "The .weakest part of ihe present system is the defence of trade routes.: The ■ colonies might undertake those overseas > repairing stations which? owing to some ' mad infatuation, have boon abandoned after large sums had been spent on ' thitn. i "The colonies, must, act in war-time under a great strategical bureau, which v would be established at the Admiralty, ,but which is'not there now." | Leeway to Make Up. Admiral Beresford went on to say that tho Empire had much leeway to make up, owing to its having deferred its liabilities; but it wae possible, if the question wore regarded from an Imperial and national standpoint, to make it free from tho taint of party. lie ooncludcd: "Tho peoples of the nations loathe and detest war. II the Empiie v-em properly pre'pared thoro would be no war."

•'\ .General French/commandant , at Aldershot, supported Mr. Haldano's idea of uniformity' of military methods by means o£ a. General .Staff. / The. General dwelt'on .the.i importance of. ; .seerecy ; in war-timo,.'and appealed [ti the-press, for help on this matter;,. '..•■'■; .Pressmen's Opinions—No Resolution. "\ ■■.■';.Mrl; i -Ti.:'Tenipfrloy"-:. : "(prppriet6r';: of tho New- South: Wales) '.p'ro- ! .posed.-aresolution ty the effect .that national idefence . for ..the''.Empire.' was. ; .the.'.most urgent question..of.,the day. , : ■.-,'. ■< ':\ ;' Mr.VW. ; T.'Stead.', (editor of the(''E«view.. I of Reviews") .made_an impassioned plea .for' peace. : : He declared, that the press of the Empirb should,;- above'.'.alij keep .'a.civil , tongue' towards the rest of. tho:,world.. : '•'■:/I■.'.' ■ .; ; ;"lt wae all; very, well,'? ,said'-Mri'Stcad, '. ■i''for an,: Australian. .delegate, to come.here ahi-say' that ■n'ation.i! defonce was most; urgent. ■. 'lie most'urgent 'question Jor him is to fiU'Austraiia with , whito.people." ■ ] ':'/' ■'. '.; Mr.. Ji. AV MacDouald (editor of:the ''Tor-, onto' Globe") described].the. resolution ~ as 'feckless,.' thewless,.: and pithless,; and. Mr/ Cuinirigham '(editor of the ; Molbourno "Argus"): declared it ; Was a,superuuity. ■ '.'■'■■<-{. V'Tho flon.;Ti ; Fink .(director' of the. Melibqurno .'"Herald) [ expressed hearty apprecia- : tion ■of 'British. statesmansuip..', '\; '■■:''■; , The'moefiug finally '-'decided; to put no resolution'on ■ records" ',:':■ ';' ,' ; yii;-y-V- : -!v.t-'/iJ'-v ;, ,-; '■':'■■'■ *- *' v - ' .'■',:■■■':.' '■'■■■■ ': ■'■'. "ANbTHER FOR DOMINION ". :% ; -':VV^V;:V:'; , .GRUISERSi 1 .^.-:v:V : /■■■ y - >:; ; :': Juno2B, 9.i0;p.m0.. ' v-. \i', : , ; ; ..'/;..:;^;'!V l t.: : -', ! :. ■ ~!.',' The. Times": describpe-tho '''Press .Con,-! :ferenco..as. a 'memorable success.- : . Commentin g ,,; on Imperial, defence, , it', suggests that, inasmuch.as.battleships must act.in'concoritration,.Avhiie ■ cruisersimust defend tho JEmpire's' communications,' tho assistance ,of the •Dominions,' as i far as it consists ''of ships,: might.tulio.tno.form of cruisers. :•, , '. [■iCruisers, being the. best standardised,<and being , ,thus, interchangeablo -wifh : : thoso. of ;thejMothorland,;>ypuld ; embody and,express the 'organic : uiiity of; an Imperial fleet much more effectively; than .battleshipa could, from jhe functions they aro.expected to perform. ■I FIRST CERMAN ; DREADNOUGHTS. ;f!J ;;two> ; ready this::yeae.;V ■-;.• "■',;, (Rec-vJwie !: 29; | 0.15; a.m.)-' ■ ]% '"■'■ [■■:\i'^r : ':.'.'■■..'. .■;■''■.'.■.■. "■■'.■<. Borjln, June 28.-.. '■'•;, Tlie! first,;.two : 'German , Dreadnoughts,'tho Nassau,and the .-Westfaien^jviliv. enter;.;tlie. German service .during; the coming autumn, and the.third Dreadnought,::the Rhoinland, :will:.be in servico .by.the jspring of 1910.;'.':. ; .'The Nassau ■..and,ithe Westfalen will : , .bo encli armed with ; twelve 11-inch. guns, , twelve 6-inch, guns, ; and .sixteen : 3i-inch :guns. '': ; : ; "[These details tally with previously published particulars.'. The 6-inch' guns . are probably 6.7inch; forming the secondary' armament that is missing • in..; the first Britisi Dreadnought, but which is provided ipi the. later British fype6, in the shape of 4*inch guns... The Nassau 'type ■ are of .18,000' tons, with -an estimated speed of .20 knots. 1 . It has been;stated that reeiprbcating- engines, , : notv turbines, are . being installed.]. : ■~'; i ; : J .'■: ~'. ■ .: