THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2225, 11 August 1914, Page 6

THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY

A FAR-SEEING POLICY. . •In an editorial published a couple of dnyS More Britain s participation 111 thfi European war was announced, .fcho-Mel-bourne "Age" remarked that-should the Empire become involved, Australians would have, good c-ause to.ibless the farseeing policy which induced them, to dc-rtake military training, and ;to build up a local navy whilo peace still reigned across the world. "None of her 'Dominions," the article proceeds, "evor served Britain one titha as woll as wa did whon wo. assumed the burden of onr own deferico—and more especially by.sea. ' Small-as' is'our-fleet; its presonoe bora' to-day means an enormous deal to Enplane!.' ft froci ho'r. from' fears on onr account. It relieves her of-tho responsibility to weaken her Honis Fleets by sending ships to guard our. coasts l and cpm- . mcrce; and above all it hns given Britain for immodiate use in European waters tUo 1 Imperial'war ships that otherwise wonld be here npd six weeks' journey distant from the scene of any , possiblo naval battle. For our own part, the nreseneo in Australian waters of'our little navy han'dsomely guarantees 'us from' the only danger, that can be immediately apprehended—attack by raiding cruisers or armed privateers. It is a peril: that, without a navy, of our own, ■ might conceivably reduce Australia to pun: 'As we have shown before, one lioslilo cmisor— had" we no force to drivo it awny—could easily bottle up in port tho whole mass of out mercantile marine, and bring-the industrial and commercial .life of the Cfljn- • monwealth to a rtmplofco stop. Happilyno such dangeT can beset u&—while have our fleet; nor should be ever need to beseech Japan, Britain's loyal: - Asiatic ■'illy, to. preserve-ji? from disaster,":.. .