THE DEFENCE OF DUNEDIN.

Evening Star, Issue 4239, 27 September 1876, Page 4

THE DEFENCE OF DUNEDIN.

Although the Colony has spent nearly a million of money in the maintenance of armeifTorces'during the* past six years, there is not’a seaport town on its shores which fcbuld effectually resist the attack of a sloop, of war. ‘ The Colony has in its pay a body of ‘Aimed Constabulary, 600 or 700 strong, well trained, provided with efficient weapons, and of good physique, ; nd it possesses, in addition, 6,691 Volunteers, including 1,762 Cadets, who are likewise well armed; and if the force, in some respects, exhibits deficiency of training, its members at all events know how to use their rifles. Consequently, the Colony has got something to show for its money. Its military forces are sufficient to preserve the internal peace of the country, and would form an admirable nucleus of a defensive army in the unlikely event of an invasion of the islands. But, then an invasion of New Zealand is an extremely improbable contingency. The British fleets may be trusted to protect us against such a calamity. The-danger to which we are exposed is of a different character. Privateering has been discountenanced by European nations, but the ancient practice of levying money contributions upon the enemy’s towns, when opportunity permits, is still acknowledged as being one of the articles of the orthodox warrior’s creed; and should war break cut between England and any ot the Continental States, the Australian and New Zealand seaports would present a remarkably inviting sphere of operations for an enterprising captain of the Paoi. Jones type. The whole British navy would be required to effectually guard these seaports from sudden attacks of this character, and even then absolute safety could not be ensured. The manner in which, during the Crimean war, the Russian steamer Vladimir went in and nut of Sebastopol, notwithstanding that the pert was closely blockaded by the British and French fleets, showed what an active captain can do with a suitable vessel; and further, proof of the limited powers of large fleets to restrain the movements of lightarmed cruisers can be deduced from the blockade-running during the Civil War in America. The destruction caused amongst the M ortheru shipping by the Alabama and Shenandoah is a familiar example of the dangerous character of such vessels; but the moral to be drawn from their exploits cannot be too frequently remembered by these Colonies. New Zealand, while the most exSosed to the flying attacks of cruisers, has one the least of all the Australian Colonies, excepting, perh ps, Queensland, to protect herself from them. Victoria has made commendable efforts to put Melbourne in a proper state of defence ; and a much heavier armed vessel than the Alabama, if it ever got within gunshot of Melbourne, would find a difficulty in getting out again. In fact, t® attack Melbourne successfully would require a regularly organised expedition of a magnitude which would prevent its making a sudden attack followed by an immediate retreat, such as is to bo feared from solitary cruisers. Port Jackeon has long been fortified, not, inde d, in «nch a manner as to make it an Australian Cronstadt, but sufficiently for the purpose in view. South Australia has also wakened up, and is taking measures for the protection of Adelaide. All these Colonics, however, possess the advantage over New Zealand of having but one principal port to defend ; while >ew Zealand has four ports— Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin—which require protection, and the cost of defence is increased proportionately. Moreover, Dunedin occupies a peculiarly unfavorable site for defence. An enemy’s cruiser, even if tho depth of water permitted, would take very good care not to come up the channel from Port Chalmers to Dnnedin ; but the City is within shelling distance from the Ocean Beach ; it lies fully exposed to the sea, although the nature of the beach presents natural obstacles to tho landing of men, and is well adapted by nature for land batteries. The subject of how bast to protect our ports has been discus-ed over and over again by the Press, in Parliament, and by military councils. For years everybody has agreed that s mething ought to- be done; hut the matter, when sifted, has always resolved itself into one of expense No Government his had the courage to put a sum on tho Estimates for the purpose. The expenditure could bring no money return; and the danger has appeared so remote as to make it legitimate to wait a little longer before incurring the outlay. The state of affairs in Europe has revived the subject. Supposing a general war were to break out in Europe to-morrow and England, became a participator in it, in what c ndition would New Zealand find itself as regards its defences ? Her ports could hardly be defended without artillery ; and the guns must necessarily be of long range and heavy calibre, otherwise they would be useless in presence of a vessel armed with cannon of the latest type. There is no use mincing the matter : the Colony neither possesses such gunc nor the means of manufacturing them. She would have to get them from Home, and some months would elapse before they could arrive. Meanwhile, she would lie practically at tne mercy of the enemy, while it would be just at the first onset that the peril would be greatest, and she would require to stand on her guard most vigilantly. Russia would be the enemy to be dreaded, and the power of Russia to assail the Australian Colonies is far greater now than it was at the time of the Crimean wav, because she has since then acquired dominion over the river Amoor which furnishes her with an excellent basis of maritime operations in tho Southern Seas. Many persons are of opinion that the very defencelessness of tho Colony would prove its best safety ; and if that were likely to be the case the best plan would appear to be to cast tho weapons of war which we already possess into the ocean, and in the r stead prepare peace offerings for the enemy wi en he arrived. Still, as prudent men, we must look at the contingency of his refusing to accept the peace » offerings, and demanding our cash and jewels, j under penalty of a bombardment. These j amiable doctrines of trusting to the mercy j of the enemy are not-invariably successful in practice. When tie German army sat down I before Paris, many English journals affirmed that the Germans would never dare to bombard Paris, because it would be an outrage upon civilisation, and all Europe would cr y out against it; but despite these predictions Paris was bombarded, tbo cries of Europe notwithstanding. So here. If a cruiser took up its station within easy ran we of Dnnedin, and its captain demanded a contribution of LIOO.COO or L 150,000 within twenty-four hours, under threat of bombardment, civilisation might thereby be outraged, but Sve should either have to pay the money or take the consequences. The fact is, rflen'have not yet learned to make war with rose-water ; and as soon as they do so learn war will be no more, but until that happy era arrives, tho safest way of keeping the foe out of the citadel b to make it impossible for him to get in there,,. It must be confessed, howeygr, that grave difficulties surround the question of how the harbors of the Colony are to be J protected, -owing to the limited funds cf the | ‘Colony, The Legislative Council, which;

has been unemployed most of the present session, amused itself lately with a debate on the subject, but the various Colonels who spoke did not manage to solve the principal problem. Perhaps the best suggestion 'made emanated from Colonel "Whitmore, who urged that a few light draught gunboats, carrying one or 'two ennfmuiis guns, and ballasted with wakr, which can be pumped out whenever it is required to lighten the vessel, such as are being built for ! he Imperial Government to the number of 250, i-hould be obta.ned for the CMmy, as they are cheap, ami being moveable, possess an advantage over a land battery. Vessels of this character, combined with torpedos, would ho a very suitable means of deteuce for Dunedin.