ON TOUR FROM OTTAWA

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1882, 16 October 1913, Page 3

MR. JOHN S. EWART, K.C,

FLEETS & NATION MOVEMENTS. Among those who arrived from Sydney by tliei Mocraki yest-erday as Mr. John S. Ewart, K.C., of Ottawa, Canada, who is touring Australasia. Ho is keenly interested in broader, as distinct from party, politics, and ho comes to Now Zealand with letters from tile High Commissioner (Hon. Thomas Mackenzie). During his stay in Wellington he intends to interview the Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) and other leading politicians, his object being to focus, as far as may bo, the politics of New Zealand.

"I am not surprised to hear it," said Mr. _ Ewart, when told of tho recent news of the slump in Winnipeg. "I lived in Winnipeg tor twenty years, and know it only too well through being a sufferer in a previous slump. I thought that this would come, and prognosticated it long ago." Mr. Ewart did not think that the effect of tho slump would be far-reaching. A-slump could happen in one city, while places not far away might be unaffected.

Rising Canadian Towns. At present two of Canada's rising centres wero Port Arthur, 011 Lake Superior, and Vancouver. Tho latter city Mr. Ewart fancies will in the near future bo one of the biggest ports of tho world.

"I would not be surprised," said Mr. Ewart, "if tho bulk of tho grain from the north-west territories, as well as that of the prairie lands along the main railway route, aro shipped from Vancouver later on. Tiio Canadian railway freight rate is fairly heavy, and it costs money t) send grain across a continent by truck. They will not do that much longer after the Panama Canal is opened to the world's commerce. It will bo sent to Vancouver, and then shipped in steamers which will proceed to the Continent via tho Canal."

Three years ago Mr. Ewart represented his country at the arbitration proceedings at The Hague between Canada and the United States in connection with the long-standing fishery disputes. He is also the author of a scries of politico-constitutional pamphlets known as ''The Kingdom-Papers," which he publishes himself.

, Australia's Navy. Happening to mention that he was in Sydney 011 Navy Day (last Saturday week), Mr. Ewart was asked to express his views 011 this important movement.

"The substitution in those waters of an Australian, for a British fleet is, I regard, tho most significant fact in the whole history of tho political development of the British colonies. Tho establishment of independent government (initially in Canada) was important, but it had no connection with colonial relations with foreign powers. I regard tho work of last Saturday week as the culmination of two important movements. It is, in the first place, the completion oF the British fleet concentration policy of IPO4. It is the abandonment not only of British control of tho Pacific Ocean and the southern seas, but even of substantial representation in those waters. For the future Britannia rules some of the waves —not all of them. And in the second place is is the completion of those negotiations which induced (in 1887) tho arrangement for Australian cash contributions to the British Admiralty, which led (in 1909) to tho agreement for the establishment of an Australian Navy, which, has now como into being. Tho trident in Australasian waters has passed from tho United Kingdom to Australia, and that, T say, is the most noteworthy and significant fact in the history of colonial development.

The Parting of the Ways. "Tho retiring British Admiral regarded the transfer as 'preserving the continuity oF Imperial naval defence in this part of tho Southern Hemisphere.' And, speaking with greater precision, Lord Denman said 'to-day we are at the parting of tho ways. . . . Thus the old order chhngcth, giving place to the now." From a practical point of view, and under the present conditions, tho Admiral's statement sufficiently expresses popular feeling, but the constitutional reality and the practical potentiality of the change is enormous. Formerly the ships 011. the" Australian station took their orders from the Admiralty through cablegrams received by the Admiral. Ho eamo and went as London directed. Now the messages aro addressed to the Governor-General. They contain 110 orders, and they are replied to as directed by the Commonwealth Government. Tho ships are exclusively and absolutely under Australian control. Practically the difference between these two positions may bo- formal. Under tho conditions oF six months hence it may be tho difference between compliance with Admiralty wishes or defiance of tjiem. When the Admiralty can order it must be obeyed; but would Australia in the past have always approved and complied with Admiralty suggestions? What the future may bring, who can tell? ■ What we do know is that Australia is now in control." Dlsacmcarsnce of Colonialism. "You may remember what the, 'The Times' said in July, 1911, when it'asked —'What was to bo the status of Australian warships upon the high seas?' Very satisfactorily to Australia her ships have precisely tho same status in international waters as have tho vessels of any other nation. At the stern they fly tho White Ensign as tho symbol of the authority of tho Crownnot- of the British Admiralty or even of tho British Parliament (in Canada wo make sharp distinctioni bet-wsn loyalty to our King and loyalty to tho British Parliament); and at the jack-staff they fly the flag of Australia, a flag that now ail nations recognise. On the high seas Australian warships aro Australian warships, and their actions are directed by and from Australia. The event of last Saturday week in Sydney marks the disappearance of colonialism, and but for some continuing forms, places Australia in the international rank of a sister —rather than a daughter—nation of tho United Kingdom. Her courage in taking this step evoked my enthusiastic admiration. As Lord Denman said: 'Australia sees herself isolated from the Mother Country, and in close proximity to powerful neighbours who arc building, up great armaments.' Upon her own resources Australia must ever moro and 111010 depend."