OUR DEFENCELESSNESS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5355, 27 May 1878, Page 2

OUR DEFENCELESSNESS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. SlB, —I think one great point in the scheme for the defence of New Zealand has been overlooked, viz., the utilisation of the large number of steamers engaged in the New- Zealand trade. I think that every steamer capable of carrying guns should be supplied with at least one of as ■ heavy calibre as she could carry, and all steamers, Targe and spaal], should be armed .with.torpedoes. ...There would be no necessity for them carrying their guns, &0., until an enemy should have made his appearance in Australian waters. The guns, ammunition, aud tirpedoes could be kept at different ports, selected for their convenience with regard to the concentration of the fleet in case of necessity. At these ports also men could be trained to the use of the guns and torpedoes. The fleet should be arranged in divisions—-each division being told off to one of the ports named. In case of necessity each division should at oncer repair ,to their respective ports and take on board its armament, guns, crews, and torpedo parties. The hulls of the steamers might be protected in the same way as the Kearsage’s was in her fight with the Alabama, viz., by ranging chain cables along their sides; this, at all events, should be done opposite the machinery aud magazines. All the captains should be placed on a seniority list, precedence to be decided by the Government, so that the senior officer present would always take command of the vessels in company with him. There should also be a code of; signals (based, I should suggest, on the boat-signal book used in the navy), which it would be well for the captains to study carefully. Should a man-of-war bo in New Zealand at the time, the captain would be in command of the whole fleet. When we think of the large area to be looked after by the Australian squadron, and the small number of ships belonging to it, it is evident that that squadron could do very little to protect the Australasian colonies without assistance from the colonies themselves. But cue man-of-war, aided by the large torpedo fleet we could place at her disposal, should be able to do a great deal. Should an enemy make a descent on. these shores, he would, I presume, be obliged to grant the requisitioned place at least twenty hours to get the money demanded. The telegraph would be instantly set to work, aud the divisions near enough to be able to arrive in time would at once starfi" r ' full speed for the scene of‘action—the fastSf ' boats assisting the slower ones. They, would assemble at a rendezvous named in the tele* gram, where they should be met by some one with a chart having the exact position of the enemy’s ships pricked off on it, so that in case * V of attacking by night (which would be preferable, if practicable, as an attack by day), our ships would be able to bear down on the enemy without any hesitation. Any division being teo far off to arrive in time with its-whole strength, might despatch ■ only its fastest vessels. This, sir, is only a crude idea, which (if you think could be improved upon so as to make it an efficient scheme of defence) yon can make what use you like of it.-—X am, &0., K.N. Hawera, 18th May.