NAVAL DEFENCE IN THE PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 226, 18 June 1919, Page 7

NAVAL DEFENCE IN THE PACIFIC

THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS

, H:M.S. NEW ZEALAND'S

STATION

The battle-cruiscr New Zealand, after tho completion of the prosent tour, is to become the flagship of the China Squadron, and so wiil be permanently stationed in the Pacific. This is the arrangement that was made in 1909, after the New Zealand Government had presented the battle-cruiser to the Mother Country. The arrangement was not carried out before the war, the Admiralty considering the retention of the battle-cruiser in the North Sea necessary in view of tlw German menace. But conditions have changed now, and the New Zealand is to take station, in the Pacific as the flagship of a China squadron consisting of a light cruiser squadron, a ilestroyer flotilla, iind a submarine flotilla. ' . The Imperial Defence Conference, whicii ■met in London in 1909. agreed to tho establishment of a Pacific fleet, to consist jof three units—the East .Indian SquadI ron, the Australian Squadron, :and . the China Squadron. Each squadron was to consist of a battle-cruiser, three light cruisers, three large destroyers, and three submarines. Onlv one of theso squadrons, the Australian, actually came into existence. The Commonwealth Government,. under the scheme drafted by Adliiirul Henderson in 1911, undsrtouk to provide its own squadron. The battlecruiser Australia, ordered originally as u-gift. to the Mother Country, became the flagship of the Australian Squadron. Two light .cruisers,, the Sydney and the Melbourne, were built in Britain for the Commonwealth Government, and one cruiser, the Brisbane, was constructed in Sydney. Two destroyers were also obtained from Britain and four destroyers were laid down in Sydney. Two destroyers were built in Britain. Tho \dmiralty handed over tho cruisers Encounter mid Pioneer to the Commonwealth, and before the war began 'the Australian Squadron had become an effective force. ■

■The China Squadron and the East India' Squadron ' did. not attain tho strength proposed ill 1909, for tho reason already given. The Imperial authorities considered that the rapid growth of tho German fleet demanded a concentration of British naval strength in the North Sea and the Channel. No modern capital ship could be spared, and it was rather reluctantly that the Admiralty sent two new light cruisers into the Pacific. When the war began an armoured cruiser, the Minotaur (seen subsequently iu New Zealand waters) was the flasshin of 1 lie China Spadron, mid one of tin; older battleships was at tho head of tho East India Squadron. Each squadron contained a modern cruiser and a tail of old ships of relatively small fighting value. It is interesting to recall that under the original agreement of 1909, when tho New Zealand became the flagship 'of tho China Squadron, a portion of the Chimt unit, consisting of two cruisers of the Bristol type, three destroyers and two submarines, were'to be stationed in pfcaoo time in New Zealand waters and manned as far As possible by New Zealand officers and. mon. This was tlici arrangement proposed.by Sir Joseph Ward and accepted by the Admiralty. Sir Joseph Ward suggested that local rates of pay should bo given to the men on these ships, and that tlio difference between these local rates and the iowor British rates should be made, lip from New Zealand's annual naval contribution of .£IOO,OOO.

When Sir James Allen was in London in' 1913 lie learned that this portion of the agreement had been abandoned. Tho Imperial authorities, having regard ' to the German menace, did not think it,advisable to send to Now Zealand tho ships mentioned in .tho arrangement made by Sir Joseph Ward four years earlier. They wero willing to lend New Zealand a sea., going training, ship,' with the necessary complement ,of officers and men, and to station in New.Zealand waters two cruis* ers 'which had formed part' of tho Australasian Squadron,"™ beforo ' that force waa dissolved by tho creation-of the Australian . Squadron. • -The training ship was the Philomel, .which, was under the administration of the .New Zealand Government when the war began. Tie cruisers offered were the Psyche and the Pyramitg, both twenty-year-old ships. This offer .Was placed before Parliament by Mr. Massey in 1913. . The New Zealand Government, said Mr. Massey, felt, that, tho offer of the two cruisers mentioned was too great a departure from the agreement of 1909, and hod suggested to the Admiralty that two modern cruisors should be substituted, in which caso tho New Zealand Government would ask Parliament to increose tho Dominion's annual naval subsidy from ,£IOO,OOO to .£150,000. The Admiralty did not accept this arrangement, on tho ground that tho availablo modern cruisers wore "required elsewhere." In informing Parliament of this reply, Mt. Massey said that if no satisfactory, arrangement was arrived at before tho next session (that of 191 i) tho Government, would propose the building of ono fast modern cruiser in Britain "for the protection of our trade routes." -"It appears quite certain that wo are on the eve of great changes in tlio Pacific," lie said, "and it is well ( that we, should commence to shoulder our responsibilities and look to tho. future both of the Empire and our growing Dominion." 'I'll# schemo proceeded no further, owing to tho outbreak of war in the following year. The official scheme for the after-war distribution of the British I'leot wa6 announced in London a few weeks ogo. 'It shows that the Atlantic Fleet will be the chief sea-going command, being the largest in numbers and contained the most modern battleships hnd cruisers. Tho Mediterranean Fleet is to contain five modern battleships, headed by the Iron Duke, with light cruisers, destroyers, and submarines. Two boats for servico on the Danube aro to be attached to this fleet. The. Home Fleet will consist of older battleships, and its, supporting forces will include a mine-laying squadron. Light cruiser squadrons are to go to -the Caps Station, the East India Station, tho South American Station, and; the West Atlantic Station.'