BRITAIN'S SEA POWER

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1534, 2 September 1912, Page 5

BRITAIN'S SEA POWER

POSITION OF THE DOMINIONS,

ONE FLEET: ONE POLICY.

LESSONS OF NAVAL HISTORY,

BRITISH PRESS OPINIONS. By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyrieM (Rec. September 1, 5.5 p.m.) London, August 31. "The Times" disavows anticipating (in an. article published on August 28) a separate Australian policy ill tho Pacific as a Sydney cablegram suggests. "Tho Times" also denies being immediately concerned in the arrangements for the Defence Conference of 1901), at which tho best measures then availablo were recommended; but Canada's changed policy had greatly affected the circumstances under which they wero framed. The article goes on to assert that tho Empire must ultimately choose between separate policies and separate fleets, or one policy and a single fleet. "The Times" had always cordially approved of Australia's present form of assistance as the only policy at present open, but satisfaction at an immediate measure of advance towards conscription must not induce the belief that ecourity was thus permanently guaranteed by measures of that kind.

In commending recent ablo naval articles :in "The Times" (which the public regard as inspired by Australia), "The Times" adds: "A single policy cannot be reconciled with divided fleets, which cannot be galvanised at the touch of war into corporate life. We cannot have three or four navies in peace time and one in war' time. Naval history., has shown that this has been one of the disasters of, allied fleets. The memorandum of 1911 was a statesmanlike solution of many immediate problems, but it did not deal with the problem as a whole. Mr. Borden's visit has cpened ninny eyes to features previously unapparent, and is likely to lead to practical steps towards the ideal of one policy, one fleet, - without prejudice to the constitutional rights embodied in the principle of local navies under separate control. . The "Daily News" says: A single Imperial Fleet, under singlo control, has no clianco of acceptance by the Dominions. The moral of tho Imperial Conferences as Imperial federation has lost whatever influence it had in the Dominions. Those in tho Motherland, who are faithful to the federation idea imagine that what they were unable to do to naval defence when the question was discussed in a day of panic and international hatred, it was impossible to do in an atmosphere of calm reason; Sir Wilfrid Laurier spoke for Australia and South Africa equally with Canada when attacking the. federationists' idea of Imperial organic union.

The "Chronicle" says: There is no question of driving the Dominions against their wills. Nothing can be said in favour of a rigid scheme of defence fixed on all regardless of local conditions and desires, but the Dominions see Britain forced more and more to concentrate on tlie existing Navy, and it is. obvious that the protection of trade routes would be much more effective if the whole Empire participates. The Dominions 4 impulse to share the burden sets tho foundation of a scheme which should be the Empire's statement task to'''detefrnine r thp nature' and superstructure of the plan of defence. There must be co-operation, and the methods adopted by the various parts must be linked ' together'in" forin, and smoothly working as a whole. BRITISH NAVAL MANOEUVRES. WATCHED BY A GERMAN EXPERT. Berlin, August 30. Captain Persius, the newspaper "Tageblatt's" naval expert, describes his unmolested visit to Harwich, and close inspection of tho firing. Ho also visited the vicinity of the targets, and watched the night .attack manoeuvres. NEW BATTLESHIPS. London, August 30. The Admiralty is expediting the launch j o5 tiie tatfiesVip Iron Dnie V a month, to eariier lay'mg down of a larger successor.