In the Event of War.

Manawatu Herald, 27 October 1898, Page 2

In the Event of War.

+ . The Empire of Britain is so scattered that a possibility exists for any portion of it being attacked by a few battleships, and without our fleet we should be nowhere. This goes without saying, but it is interesting also to inquire how. France is situated? At home she has three coast lines to defend, and then the colony of Algeria on the north of Africa, the protectorate of Tunis, Obouk and the Gulf of Tajura to the north of British Somaliland, Madagascar and its dependent isles, Reunion, and the islands of St. Paul, Amsterdam and Kerguelen; in America France has two small groups of islands to the south-east of Newfoundland; in the West Indies the islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe and other smaller ones, and in South America she holds French Guiana; in Asia she has the territories of Pondicherry, Chandernagore, Karikal, Yanaon and Matree; and in IndoChina she has Cochin-China, Tonquin, Annam, ' and Cambodia ; whilst in Oceania she holds New Caledonia, and a number of small islands. To defend these she must detach her battleships which would find themselves outnumbered by the British ships, and the probability would be the loss of both vessels and dependencies. It has been stated that directly war is declared Britain will strike a heavy decisive blow, and it looks as though she could do this everywhere, except on the French coast, and here is probably where a great effort will be made, as if the French fleet is enclosed in the fortified ports, or else engaged outside of them, the great question as to which country is the most powerful would be quickly settled. In the war, at the commencement of this century, with France it will be remembered that the French ships always shirked an engagement unless they very much outnumbered their opponents, and Nelson could only lure them to a fight by giving them the odds of two to one. The navy of to-day may be better manned, but we should doubt if it is ready for sea judging by the accounts of the bustle in the French dockyards just now. The movements of every ship of every foreign Power, its build, strength and armament is known to the British Admiralty, and in every sea they have a stronger force. France has opposite the Isle of Wight the port and arsenal of Cherbourg which has a magnificent breakwater of two and a half miles which encloses 2000 acres. The great naval floating-harbour is entirely cut out of the solid rock, and is 20 acres in area, and is surrounded by building-slips, and capacious graving-docks. The bulk of the population of the town is engaged in the arsenal and dockyards. The whole is very strongly fortified. Brest, on the west coast, is one of the

chief naval stations. It has one of the finest 1 .arbours in Europe, the roadstead i., formed by the promontory of Finisto c. The only entrance to the bay if by a narrow channel entitled Le G: llet, which is scarcely a mile wide, and is strongly defended by batter!-s; the difficulty and danger of accesr. o hostile ships being increased by roc s in the middle of the channel. Toulon, on the Mediterranean is 42 miles r. >uth of Marseilles. It lies at the he dof a deep double bay. The port is divided into the old and the new, the former, on the east is for merch int shipping, and the latter for the navy is surrounded by the dockyard, clip, arsenal, cannon-foundry, &c. It is very strongly fortified. We may look for word, should war be declared, that these three ports are receiving considerable attention so that vessels preparing for sea may be detained and also those of France having got damaged should be shut out of a refitting port. We have doubts as to war being declared as we believe France, unless provided with other support than Russia, would not do so mad an act. Our security lies in our preparedness which must not be abated though danger may not be nigh. : j j i j