PACIFIC FLEETS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1568, 11 October 1912, Page 5

PACIFIC FLEETS.

AUSTRALIA'S POSITION,

iiy Telesraph—Press Association— Copyright (Reo. Ootobcr 11, 1.10 a.m.) Sydney, Ocfcobor 10. In explaining the recent references to the Naval Agreement, tho Defonce Minis-. ,ter, Senator Pearco, says the 1909 Naval Defence Conference 'agreed that there should be a Pacific Fleet, to which Canada and Australia should contribute units, Britain contributing tho China Fleet, and New Zealand, joined by tho Admiralty, giving her contribution to tho China Station, under certain conditions. The idea regnrding what would bo the class and number of tho ships, and the personnel of their crews, originated in a memorandum from the Admiralty which .was presented to the Conference. "We' aro just about completing our fleet writ under tho agreement," said Senator Pcarcc. "Canada has not done k>, nor has New Zealand, with the exception of the Dreadnought presented to the Admiralty. The Admiralty has only the China Fleet that existed at tho time of the Conference. I don't presume for a moment to tell or suggest to the other Dominions what they should do, but we havo not heard anything since then as to whether the proposals are incapable of being carried out. It was agreed" that the course laid down was the best. It was in the line of our policy, and, in any case, ve.'kept our word."

STATE ATLANTIC CABLE.

DISCUSSION IN. AUSTRALIA. By Telegraph—Presß Association—Copyright Melbourne, October 10, A discussion on the, project for a Stateowned cable.,across tho Atlantic took place in the Federal House of Representatives yesterday. Mr, Joseph Cook urged that something should bo done to induce the Imperial Government to come to a decision regardjng a State-owned Atlantic cable.' The difference between tho price now charged and what it would cost to run a cable would turn it into a paying proposition. Tho Minister replied that a motion had been submitted to the Imperial Confer-, ence, but had been turned down owing to the opposition of tho Imperial Government. ...