LIGHT ON THE PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2006, 13 March 1914, Page 7

LIGHT ON THE PACIFIC

NAVAL DEFENCE; DEMAND FOE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. AND A DEFINITE POLICY, j Bj Tstarfash—Pre»» Assoelation-CopyrteW Sydney, March 12. The ".Sydney Mormiig Herald,'' in a kader, says:—"lf iho forecast is trite that the Canadian Navy question can- : not hp. settled by the floveymnont for several years, then the Naval Conference Australia and Kow Kontand desire t<i have- with tlie British Government cannot he postponed atiy longer. It should take piaco immediately theHome llukf crisis lias ceased'to'claim the attention <vf Ministers-. Canada is at liberty to take time over iaer decision, but Australia ami New Zealand cannot consent to continue yitothor throo ■or four years totally in ttio dark as to what is tlie llnperiaJ policy ill the Pacific. It has lioen n&swmwl that we blamfc Britain for abamteaing; tlio lf)09 agreement;, but, owiiiH to recent aiwcnclmeuts in our owii Navy law, und the aiteWßß of tlie' situation in the- North St'ii.,' no flive Wanws the Mother Country for abawlonin.E tlie plan of a Pacific fleet in order to fneofc urgrait needs in. .Home waters/ Bwt .tlie Australian fleet, and New Zealand's cruiser were twilt in the light of the 1909 .afircemMjt. Af j ■tor committing o'urscives to buiWing a fleet tiro liftlvfc was taken away. We vwt it tnrn«l tip again; If. it siamk far anj'tJiiflg it is for the conviction m tho part of Anstraliaiis and New 55ealafsfes that a British Pacific; fleet will he 3«ioe_ssary in tli-o tiear fnttife, dijd that it- is their uixeftt ctetv to lay thfl feiai«Jati<aiiß of that fleet. But, tiln'imisly, they do not wish to lirovide tic nucleus of n fttjet in the-dark."