EMPIRE DEFENCE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 215, 9 June 1920, Page 7

EMPIRE DEFENCE

CO-OPERATION OF DOMINIONS AN INTEGRAL PART TRIBUTE TO AUSTRALIAN NAVY'S WAR SERVKJE SPEECH BY ADMIRAL BEATTY By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Kec. June 8, 10.45 p.m.) London, June-(7. Speaking at a West Australian dinger •at which the Agent-General (Mr. J.'D.Cdpnolly) presided. Admiral Beotty, w&o • proposed tho toast of Western Australia, referred to the work of the Australian Navy during the war. He said: "It rondered groat assistance towards tho. capV ' tiire of (the German possessions. It had Hie honour of capturing the first war vessel, tho Comet. The destruction of the notorious Emdcn was another achievement of which Australia may well be proud. The first vessel to penetrate the Sea of Marmora was an Australian submarine, and later the Australia, the' Melbourne and the Sydney came under my own personal obscrvat tion. whore I had an 'opportunity of recognising the Australian as a seaman and a fighting man. Tho Australian Navy has justified,its existence,.and was of tha greatest help to the British Empiro in carrying out the struggle. The war is . now over, and the menaoe of the G.erman Navy has passed away. . We are now trying to utilise tho experience of the war. in order to see that the sacrifices' of five years shall not' have been made in vain. First and foremost we learn that the naval co-operation of the Do-' minions must form an integral part of Empire defence, As an Empire our strength lies in our common interests. • What we have to devise .today is the cooperation of the Dominions in the naval , defence of the Empire. The Australian Navy is an excellent example of what » that form should take. • A navy based upon Dominion ports will be most efficacious. The safety of the Empire depends upon the security of its communications. The control of those sea communications is the, problem of Imperial defence, and it extends to every sea. The Dominions can exercise this control in their_ owa maritimo ,areas. Therefore their protection will have a strong military value. Western Australia with her.'naval ports can play nn important part in naval defence. Naval defence implies provision of personnel and repairing facilities, and finally the building of ;.warships. But personnel is the most important factor. Everything should be done to make people understand the part the. Navy-lias to play in the future development of the Commonwealth and in the safety,of the Empire. Australia is joined to the British Empire. That is dne to command of the sea." =■ Referring l ' to emigration, Admiral Beatty regretted' that movements to Australia were handicapped by lack of shipping, but trusted that the obstacles would soon be overcome. "But," he added "a larger flow of shipping means development of sea powec That is sum- . med_ up in the fact that Western Australia depends for progress on tho command of the sea. This'same condition applies to every unit of the Empire." He hoped that parochial ideas would be put aside, and .every member realise that disaster to one part of the. Empire was disaster to the whole. Ho' hoped they would devise, a scheme of .naval defence equitable.-to individual requirements and commitments; and that would make Ithe world a better place to live in. Western Australia gave a groat example during the war, 40 per cent, of her men enlisting. He was sure Western Australin would maintain this effort in regard to naval development. Every naval officer would support him jri the statement that for true patriotism and'' the highest ideals one nad to go beyond the seas. ' , Mr. Connolly,' replying, stressed the need, for more equal distribution of the Empire's man-power. Australia,' with her Vast territory and meagre population, was the most vulnerable of the Empire, but to fill it with British population would bo tho surest, cheapest, and best defence—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.