PACIFIC SEA POWER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 593, 23 August 1909, Page 7

PACIFIC SEA POWER.

0 — NEW ZEALAND'S S.HARE. YET ANOTHER VERSION PUBLISHED. STILL A DREADNOUGHT. CRUISERS AND'SMALL .CRAFT ALSO. lUy TolccraDh.-Press Aesoclatloni-CopjriElil) (Rco. August 22, 5.55 p.m.) London; August 21. Tho so-called "inspired statement" cabled ' from London on August 19—to tho effect' that under the arrangement entered into between Sir Joseph Ward and the Admiralty, tho vessels to bo contributed by the Dominion will not bo Dreadnoughts, but cruisers, that they will form part of the Pacific Squadron, and will bo employed in New- Zealand waters for local defence—is declared to be' incorrect. Continuance of Subsidy. A correspondent stated that New Zealand will provide a. Dreadnought as originally offered, and will also continue 'to pay" tho present annual subsidy of £100,000 to the Imperial Navy. Tho Dreadnought will be attached, as the Admiral's flagship, to- the China Pacific Station. Occasional fleet visits will bo made to New Zealand. The Home Government will build and pay for, as part of the samo command, two cruisers, threo destroyers, and two submarines, with headquarters in. Now Zealand. Australia's .Unit. It is not correct to say, that the Commonwealth Government's contribution is limited to oraisors. ' Its unit will include provision for submarines and destroyers, and, if also a battleship is contributed for , Australian waters, Britain may give a partial subvention. Tneso altered arrangements will virtually give three or four units or squadrons in Pacific waters. , "

A CANADIAN NAVY. \

ADMIRALTY LENDING OFFICERS. ' (Rec. August 22, 5.55 p.m.) London, August 21., Tie Admiralty Las lent Canada a number of officers, to adviso regarding the organisation of the Canadian Navy. ENCOURA.CINC OF CENTRIFUGAL ' FORGES. , SOME DIFFERENCES OF' OPINION. Ottawa, , Augußt 20. , • The Winnipeg "Tribune , *' condemns the decision arrived ftt by the Imperial Defence Conference to impose on Canada her own navy, instead of joining with the other colonies in a contribution towards the improvement and maintenance of the Royal Navy to tho standard of the Empire'e necessities. The Montreal ''Witness , ' oppresses a fear that- Canada's and Australia's rejoicing in the 'triumph of their policy of independence in regard to naval defence will weaken those elements iu tho Dominions which make for Imperial unity, and will encourage and strengthen centrifugal forces. The Montreal "Press" and tho Qucbeo "Potrie" appiove the autonomous principle which they understand underlies the Defence Conference's work. COLONIAL NAVAL DEFENCE ACT. . DOMINIONS' SEAMEN AND ROYAL NAVY. (Rec. August' 22, 655 p.m.) 1 ' London, August 21. In tho House of Commons the First Lord of tho Admiralty, Mr. M'Kenna, has a Bill to amend the Colonial Naval Dcfcnco' Act, 18C5, by empowering colonial Government)) to provide that seamen raised under that

Act may be bound to the , general in the Royal Navy la tho event of any emergoncy. "SPSOTATOR" CHAMPIONS DERESFORD. ' AND ASSAILS FISHERISM. ' • (R«c. August 22, 5.55 p.m.) ' '' London, August 21. The "Spectator" claims tliat tho result of Admiral Lord Charles iDeresford's demand for a navnl inquiry 'hast proved to bo "of no small national advantage. Admiral Boresford has struck a real blow in favour of naval efficiency, • and tlio ( Committee's report lias given a mortal r wound to Fishcrism —that is, tho unchecked exercise of power by ono individual 'who is particularly unsuited by his personal characteristics to exercise" such a monopoly" , Admiral Loid Charles Beresford is about to visit the United States and Canada. ["Tho mortal wound to J'isherism"is no doubt tlio Naval Strategic Department that figures in the Committee's report. But Mr. Win, Max* well declares—in the faco of the chargo of autocracy made ngamst Sir John Fisher—that the Admiralty has been at work for three years creating such a Depaitnient, and that the prol>osal, far from being originated by Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, is borrowed by him,] AN ARMY VOICE. "ONE" AND INDIVISIBLE." ' (Rec. August 22, 5.55 p.m.) London, August 21. i Speaking at Liverpool, the Secretary for War, Mr. Haldane, stated that the Defenco Conference had como to an agreement for organisation that was destined to make the 'Empire ono and indivisible for defenco purposes. He predicted, that this agreement would play a great'part in securing tho peace of the world, and would put tho naval and military forces of the Crown on an, entirely new footing. ,