RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 64, 14 August 1885, Page 4

RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

COL6INIAL DEFENCES.

• The* following summary has been made b) an exchange of the various steps that are being taken by th? different colonies of Australasia to defend their several territories m event of Avar being declared by Eussia:— At Sydney various alterations are ,pro{>osed m the batttries defending the bar>our.' It is intended to replace the older muzzle-loading gun's' -with breach-load-ing ordnance, Jiaving a range of 8,000 yards. The Massilia, aP.& 0. steamer, and the Lusitania, one of the. Orient Company's vessels, are both being fitted up as cruisers. The orderosent to Eng T landfqrarnis include 34 pieces of ordnance and 5,000-rifles.\ t*At Ad6Kide great activity is being displayed. -/The strongth of the military force is about 1800 militia^ and local 1500 vdlunteersi Several fast steamers are fitted "up as torpedo and gun boats. The ; authorities are; in cotnraunicatipn with Admiral Tryon as to the best moans of protecting the. cable at Port Darwin, liifle'cltibs are- being formed m the cpun- ; tryXtlistricts, ; -i -*' : / „ ■■. ■ ■'...' ] The tQJieensland Goyernment are mak- ■: jngyigdrouß preparations m yie\y of the, H . possiWSfoutbreak of war. Jin 1 brderto fillUp, the i faiilEEi* it.ia 1 -possible that reconrae , will Be had tp t)ie ballot provided % the DjefenceT ! Act. v ; Several steamers. bay -been pfl^chased J by the Government 1 and armed defence i'.pur poses. Colonel Fren6h;^tneicommand'ant is preparing a r . scheme; for^the. detence of Brisbane. vTlie authorities are accepting the services pt voluriteer corps and^rifle clubs. i At a public meeting of residents of Hobart great dissatisfaction \&s been ex pressofl afc tiie state of the defences. Resolutions were passed m favour of calling ; Parliament together and constituting a council of defence. New 'guns' ami ammunition are shortly expected from England. Large numbers of men are •at work on the land batteries, and the ,Government contemplate forming batitcrios by coating vessels with railway iron. . ■i In New Zealand the ;Maories apuear to take an interest, m the progress of events, as,- at a meeting of southern Maori; it was staled that they would asBi«tall they ctfuld m the event of | hostilities and the Defence Minister estimates ■that Ihat^the 'natives^vduld supply 1000 fighting rnoii if encouraged to do so. The Government have cabled home for 2000 stand of Martini-Henry rifles. It -is the;n|ehtion of the Defence Ministor to amend the Volunteer regulations. There will be four branches of service, the first. being garrison of Volunteers m towns ; the second, country Volunteer corps! ;;the third, honary corps ; and the fourth, honorary reserve corps. The honorary corps will be under the same regulations as garrison corps, but without ■''capitation. The Government are having, a roll of the first-class militia prepared'; the big guns for the defence of four principal ports are rapidly ; being got into position. Mr Ballance, Minister of Defence/«has received a telegram from Hote Tamitiha (son of William Thompson,, the Maories chief 'who m days ot Avar was known as the " King-maker "), repeating his offer to. raise a corps of 200 „ "Vtyaikatp natives for service m the Soudtin. The batteries intended to repel an iittaok— ?or rather the bombardment— of Dunedin from the sea are now completed, a,nd : ,ihe;ffnns could opon fire at any monienti Nearly all 'the principal ports are m «l jßtatp of d«tonce. .