NAVY LEAGUE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 17

NAVY LEAGUE.

; I■;]■ LETTER FROM HEADQUARTERS.:- ::.,| :Thb following are 'extracts' from a' letter received' by tbo.'Bccretary.of, the. .' Wellington, branoh of. the Navy IJeagub from tho. headquarters of ' ih'd Navy-League,*, . j "Yarious;.changes,'■ are., foreshadowed which it.is hoped!will result in great progress being made by. the Navy League. That there isiiee.d for this progress there .can be no doubt: it is imperative'that, in vjow.of the growing 'peace' at party* and the 'Little Englatiders'' 'combined,:, tho'.'light-in the future must be- between the Imperialists, and those who wish, in many cases through ignorance, to disrupt the Empire.; .- ; ■;'.■' -■" :'>'• '-. ;.'.'."'.'■ ■■ ~:-"It is curiousthat'mon, business men,, can shut their eyes to the teaching of -history and r bolibve. that,'-.although''this'Empire.-'was gained by the sword, : it will 1 bo permitted to remaitt : intact When'wb. have not the necessity •strength to preserve iMiencb comes tho neecs--sit'y,- the '.imperative • necessity, for tho Navy Lraguo to instruct 'these' jieople throughout the.length and breadth of, the Empire that As our prosperity came'' by sea-power, .it can only bo maintained by'the same- means.': It is a! startling fact that in; the.division on tho Navy estimates 1 on' July 26, nearly 100 members could walk into the lobby in ..favour'of-.areduc-. tio'n in thc'Navy vote, and it.is.ah even question 1 whether the.existence/of the; present Government was' hot' savtd ; b,v the, loyalty of Mr. Balfour, who would not vote with tho malcontents because ho,would/hot imako the Navy a'party.question.'i '-'".''::: ! '!;- ■.-/ ' '-"Looking .up'-my letter: to.you.of two years -agoj.'lfind that the .'situation.;of;to-day. -was absolutely forecasted:" Tho.•naval, strength of this-country, to-day is absolute;, what wo have ■'to?do' is" to; ensuro equal; security in.: the fu- '':■'': .':■ ",';■' '■■'■■.■',■'''' -.--■'- i ~'■' ,;, ■i "In this mattbr ofV the Navy, /in deahing /With J 'the mah_ in' Iho street,'' wo must have a formula which ho can understand.' ; Mr. Stead, the apostle; of-peace, has,given us. that formula when ho states that for every;<keel : Uidid.o'.wri by.Gerniany. we must lay down two. '""Tho conference now sitting ..in,, London j (August 13) will; wo hope, result 'in, layihg_tho j groundwork of a future understanding for Em-i-'pSro defence.' : \Vb -.have' .'to {remember _ that tho .Empirei-vconnected as-'-it is by.the.',sea,.offers ■to us as-'maritime' people-the.'easiest road 1 to 'travel'; 1 .and in point of- fact/communication by S6a' with the.utfribst'parts blthe -Empire, is easier of accomplishment than to cbmniunicatb by ran ; from Oho side of tho United States to 'the'bthcr.' V.iJ". ■■''. '..:',--..','.• ; -'. ' : ,- ''In conclusion,' tho subjects of King, Edward residing at the utmost partsYof the ..Empfto have given the lead, '.which' was .much:.needed, to the people.in and, Which will be followed.,. ~ Y..They:.ivhb.have not ..tr'av-' oiled do hot know.-what ,;tho'British vEmptre means or'what; the British Flag'stands'for.' You, in that'respect, aro at. ft'great. advantage tb':thcm.' - The travelled' subjects". of . the v Hirig .WK6; kaow what tho r ß"ritish (lag means are to-, day helping the Mether,Country in- the' most effective'manner ,by,,statinp: to the .world-at large- that the interests' of. British subject's.' in (he fu'turb will be, taken charge; of by tho tinlimited',liability 'company of John ..Bull\ and .Go." '■■:;; ; ':;■:' '':.;::■ ; - ;',-■'. •';■ :,■;'•'.''. ' 'Y