"NO HISTORIC SENSE."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1671, 11 February 1913, Page 4

"NO HISTORIC SENSE."

A LESSON FOR AUSTRALIANS. Lord Chelmsford, responding to tho toast of his'health at the regatta luncheon at Sydney on January 27, justified the observance of Anniversary Day, and incidentally referred to tho importance of command of tho sea as securing national supremacy. "I think that out here in Australia," said tho Governor, "you should keep the historio anniversaries, because if there is any deficiency in the mental equipment of Australians, that deficiency lies in the fact-that they have no historic eenso. Too often one comes across the Australian who talks as if he lived only in the 20th century, and.was not concerned with the past, and with what has happened in the past. Yet ono of the things which science has brought home to us is the profound influence of heredity. We cannot get awav from it, however, much we try. "If you look back to the state of the world 125 years ago you will sec that then no French Revolution had taken place.at al), that the.United States were, merely struggling for existence, that tho names of Nelson. and Wellington were not known";.'and that steam, for. either rail or steamship; had not como into .use.' Jf yon glance from that to the nnxt.;27f years you will'see that away, in thc Nortlv Sea; thero was.a, little country apparently; of: small' .population'' which -' for' these 27. vea'rs ?stood .;up '.against.-'tho. re.st of the. world,, arid IpreseiTejl the;free'dom. of:-the world, ' ATo-.-thore. not lessons' to'be' derived from':that .pago of. history? ■ ■ "In/this,part "of the world you have nht •a . largo population;, yet, but a', struggle may come unon yfni 'before - your' population''iS, anything, like tliat-of. other, nations; and': the thought of 'that strngale of 27 years Will remind you that it is not merelv a question: of numbers, but'of grit and determination as to whether you will win-your way; through in the end. These two islands came through the struggle beenn ar ) thevwere supreme' on', the' sea, and if wo have the command pf the sea wo can be supreme; You here are makine a 'new start in that , direction. Heredity has given you the tradition of determination exhibited bv those in'Knorland who preserved the freedom of \tho world; and here also in Australia, you 'can derive-isome lessons from the'history of Anniversary Day." ■"t ■ :