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GOVERNOR WELD ON COLONIAL DEFENCE.

Governor Weld, on tke occasion of the presentation of prizes for rifle shooting at Launceston, on April 30, took advantage of the occasion to deliver himself of an address, which, for its lofty spirit and weighty advice, is sure to commend itself to every person who reads it THE OBLIGATIONS OF SELF-RELIANCE. I have been asked will England not defend ns ?. Are we . worth attacking ? ■ Can we defend ourselves, and can we afford the expense ? England will no doubt defend us, but it is impossible that her fleet should be everywhere, and you cannot expect her single uuarmored ships of no great size to lie in porta where they . would not be assisted in case of need by batteries, and might be caught in a trap by a superior force. I think that it may be reasonably expected that in a war England • wohld ; bo able to prevent any powerful expedition being directed against the colonies. Such an expedition could not be fitted out and get to the sea secretly; it would probably never get to sea at all, and if it did it would almost certainly be taken or destroyed.; I doubt not also that England would take vigorous measures by the employment of swift cruisers to protect commerce and to capture hostile cruisers or privateers; indeed, we ■ already hear that she is prepared to do so, but ' the seas are wide, and even in the old days of sailing vessels, at the end of the last century and the beginning of this, when we had clouds of cruisers and privateers, though we did clear • them of hostile fleets ; and, we all remember how much injury the Alabama inflicted upon ■ • the commerce of the Northern States before she was met and captured, though" several • vessels were solely occupied .in her pursuit; therefore I do think that it is probable that ‘ some vessels of that class, for which telegrams - ; , tells ns a national subscription is now. being i* raised in Russia, may succeed in eluding Eng- ; dish cruisers for a while, and may attack and levy subsidies, or in default plunder British settlements that are not ready to resist them. ARE WE WORTH ATTACKING 2 . The bullion in the hanks would bo. a rich prize, as has ■ been noted in Russian newspapers, which; have lately published the. Colonial Bank returns, but the bullion in the . bank would by no means be necessarily the measure of the,subsidy required. Moreover, ■ the destruction of shipping and of stores, the. interruption of commerce,, the collapse of public works and of public and private credit, could only bo remedied by.timo and.tho im- .. j ..position of heavy taxation. I once asked an eminent merchant what he would do under these circumstances, and he said, “'Well,-it might happen, and if it did. I think I . should arrange my affairs as well as I could, and move off 'to safer quarters.” I said, 1 , . V Would it not be wised to pay a small insiir- - ance in the form of defence, and make things -safe?” Remember, too, that to pay subsidies . and ransoms is the surest way to invite future > visits. It ia a policy as fallacious asitis dis-

graceful; it has never had the same result; it i .is like offering a premium for robbery. And further, bear in mind that, having bought experience, people would raise an outcry for defence, for locking the door after the purse was stolen, and very little left wherewith to buy a - . lock. LIKELY POINTS OF ATTACK.

I hold Hobarton and King George’s Sound ■ . (an opinion which is shared in by high military authority at Home) to be most-liable to at- ... tack on account of their strategical position, and I have not failed to bring this circum- ’ ■■■' stanceamder the consideration of the Imperial authorities. I hold these two positions to be the most important strategetical ones in Australia, and the occupation and fortification of Hobarton or of King George’s Sound, which * could. be made almost impregnable, would en- ; tail great efforts and an immense expenditure for their recovery. I hope that our delegates .at the approaching Australian conference will bring the .subject of , defensive federation before it, for the hostile occupation of Hobarton . . or of King George’s Sound would, in the very highest degree, affect the interests of all Ausi tialia. f I do not, under present circumstances, anticipate as at all probable or possible, an ’ attempt at such an occupation, but nevertheless it were wise to provide against it. Colonel" . Scratchloy, 11.8., said ■ to me a few days ago - that he considered that Hobarton was the most .■ likely place in the, Australian .colonies to be - attacked, and at my request he authorised wo ’ publicly to quote that opinion. CAN WE DEFEND OUIiSELVES ? v ' In the opinion of the iuost competent autho- - ■ _ rities, of Sir W, Jervois and Colonel Soratch- ' ley, we can, against such a foe-os is likely-to molest ns, or rather, in my opinion, os would bo likely, were we unprepared, for such vessels will not, I think, run serious risks at a distance from any friendly harbor, affording means for refit; and moreover, we may confidently rely upon .England being ready to assist those colonies especially which help themselves,- as she has already done in the case of Victoria. ' ’ , what hioht happen. . „ Some may say, as I have heard it said, “ but . in the event of a fight wa would turn out to a mao but unfortunately a custom prevails of

hanging or shooting any persons not, in the uniform of a regularly-enrolled corps who may be taken in arms, and in the French war the Prusaions, by no means an uncivilised enemy, in such cases,shot hostages selected.by lot from among the unarmed inhabitants, when they could not or would not deliver up those who had so fired on them, and levied extra contributions besides. At Bazeilles they gave up the village to the flames, and men, women, and children perished or were slain. tub duties op volunteers. Undisciplined men, acting on their own devices, might most often be as much or more in the way offriendsas of foes,and no Government would be justified in entrusting them with arms unless put under strict control in purely defensive positions. I doubt not the men’s bravery, but I would most strongly impress upon volunteers that though our race is a fighting race, it is one singularly impatient ef control; and therefore I say that obedience and strict discipline and respect’ to officers is tho first and most essential requisite. You may shoot well, you may drill well, you may drill well, you may march well, but unless you bring to your work strict discipline and unquestioning and implicit obedience, you are a powerful piece of machinery under no control, and consequently utterly useless. You may be sure there is no man who does not better himself by gaining that self-control which is necessary for discipline and obedience; more especially if he gives that obedience because it is a self-imposed duty, possibly.tb one in many respects his inferior. And if this is a lesson to men, so also morally as well, as physically it is a valuable training to boys ; and I wish all our schools would have cadet corps. ,’ I would give every encouragement in my power to them.’ .When ! speak of discipline and drill I do not want undue attention to be given to what T call, show drill. You must drill to become perfect in tho,handling and use of your weapons, and you must drill in order that yon yourselves may be readily and easily moved and handled for all such purposes as are likely to be practically useful. This attained, I advise much practice in the actual operations, and on the actual ground where you might be called into action, and I strongly advocate the institution of an annual camp. 1 . 1 . . There is another point that I wish to impress upon those of my hearers who are about to take part in the volunteer movement. Very much depends almost everything depends—upon the officers. Now, 1 a; man is not necessarily fitted to be an officer because he is a gentlemanly man, a good fellow, or even a valuable member of society. These qualities may be advantageous, but what is above all wanted is a man who can unite firmness with tact, who possesses coolness and nerve, who has good sense and military aptitude, and who will give up his time to study and learn his work thoroughly. A volunteer officer ought indeed to be an enthusiast at his work, and should any officer neglect the duties he has voluntarily assumed, ! should certainly advise him to resign or approve his dismissal. I want you to make the tiling a reality. (Oheers.) If it is not reality, better have nothing at all to do with it, and I tell you you cannot make it a reality without earnest work, discipline, and diligence for the men, painstaking, exertion for the officers. Difficulties will arise, this and that may at first go wrong ; but patience, forbearance, and public spirit must smooth down obstacles and pave the way to success.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18780530.2.20

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5358, 30 May 1878, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,534

GOVERNOR WELD ON COLONIAL DEFENCE. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5358, 30 May 1878, Page 3

GOVERNOR WELD ON COLONIAL DEFENCE. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5358, 30 May 1878, Page 3

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