"WE MUST PREPARE OUR OWN NAVY."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 765, 14 March 1910, Page 5

"WE MUST PREPARE OUR OWN NAVY."

In ah important address delivered on January 5, in Toronto, Sir Wilfrid Laurier' dealt almost exclusively with Canada's naval policy. He eaid the Parliament of Canada had unanimously declared that the time had come when Canada should bear a share of the burden entailed by the defenoft of the Ernprre. There were questions of the security commerce, the protection of Canada's coasts, and the .warranty 'which Cana.a's actions would give of frying to secure the peace of the world, because all' nations knew that Canada did not desire any aggrandisement and did not eeelt any other object than the defence of her own interests. This was what Canada meant when Parliament unanimously Tesolved upon forming the nucleus of a Canadian Navy, Some Canadians wanted an immediate contribution to the British Navy, the reason for their urgency being that danger of invasion by Germany ■ was imminent. Lr1912 the British Navy'would have a displacement of ■ more ■ than 2,000,000 tans, and the German Navy of about IiOOO.OOO tons. This disparity was too great to' justify the statement that danger was imminent. "If there be war (Six Wilfrid Laurier proceeded) I have only tMs. to say, that in Canada we maintain that the naval supremacy of Great Britain is essential to tho security of commerce. It js a pledge to the VMrM.'and if England is in danger—l cannot believe she is in danger, but if she be strongly'pressed—all I can say is that there will .be a wave of sen-, timent all over Canada to go to the rescue of the Old Land. But, however, wo .will not.be stampeded by any words of that. kind. We must prepare our own navy. We must do it in our own way. This is the position we take; and,l think it will be approved by tho peoplo of Canada." "AUSTRALASIAN DREADNOUGHTS. Dy Teleeraph rl'ress. Association—Oonrrlcbt. London, March 11. Owing to doubt having been expressed in somo quarters, the "Daily Telegraph" explains that the Australasian Dreadnoughts 'do not figure in the British Estimates. The dates when the keel-plates of the vessels will be laid, the prices, and the time ocoupied in construction are all, says the "Telegraph," matters for the colonial Governments.