The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 526, 8 January 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1878.

The Glof>», an offshoot, and a very indifferent one too, <«f the Christchureb /Ye.-w, has an extremely idiotic article again referring to the proposed visit of Sir Wm. Jurvois to this Colony, and the action of ttie Government th'H-eanent. With a plaintive howl that would be heartrending were it not .supremely ridiculous, it endeavours, according to its lights, to point out the evil results likely to arise from the Government not availing themselves of the services of Sir V.'ji. Jkuvois. In piteous tones it tells how the Colony is liable, in the event of England being dragged into the present war, to be made a sufferer by a visit from some hostile armed vessel. Then the writer be«ins to cry at the prospect of such a calamity, and, between his sobs, he gives it as Ills opinion that all this might have been prevented had the Government expended a few paltry pounds in obtaining a report from .Sir Wm. Jervws on the best means of colonial defence. The poor fellow in the midst of his bitter waitings altogether omits to take any cognisance of the facts that the work of providing a system of colonial defence would be exceedingly expensive, and that the Colony would have to go into the money market to borrow the wherewithal to meet that expense. The woebegone writer also omits to take into his calculations the length of time such a proceeding would occupy. In the midst of his anguish the poor fellow never casts a thought upon the fact that when we did get the money some considerable time must necessarily elapse before we could perfect our arrangements, and that in the meantime the evil which he fears would either have taken place or all grounds for apprehension on that head would have passed away.. We cannot for the life of us understand all this fuss about the action of Sir Georoe Gkev and his Ministry. Not the slightest possible good could result from a visit from Sir War. Jep.vois and the other man of sanguinary war, Colonel Scratchley. They may be very eminent men, and excellent authorities on the best modes of providing defence against invasion by a foreign foe, but unless they can provide ns with the means as well as the method of defending ourselves we want none of them. Their reports so far have been of little use to the other colonies, save that they have caused no small discussion, and drawn more attention to the case with which the colonies might be made to accede i to the demands of some marauding pri- ! vatecr. Not a single one of the colonies i has adopted the suggestions of Sir Wm. Jervois and Colonel Scratchley and taken steps to carry them out. It is true that Victoria is going in for torpedoes, but any man of common sense would have suggested the practicability of adopting this method of dealing summarily with unwelcome visitors, without going to the expense of obtaining lengthy reports from a couple of Commissioners

gent out by the Home Government for a pleasure trip at Colonial expense. The whole thing is a gigantic farce from beginning to end. A visit from Sir Wjr. JERtois and Colonel Scbatchley might be a very pleasant thing for our army of Tolunteer officers, and would afford our colonels, majors, captains, &c, et hoc genus omne, to display their plumes, their striking uniforms, their swords, their manly figures, and above all, their military knowledge, before the distinguished visitors, and so give rise to the that we possess a powerful standing army. But for any practical purpose the visit of the Defence Commissioners would be utterly useless, and on this ground we decidedly approve of the action of the Ministry. We have had enough of importing gentlemen to report upon various matters, and have expended quite enough money on such folly without receiving any return for the outlay, except in the shape of lengthy reports to which no practical effect has been given. Our Christ-church contemporary after expending its stock of tears on the matter proceeds to dilate upon the destructive properties of torpedoes, and sets up a howl for some for Port Lyttelton. By all means let the Lyttelton people have as many as they like of the dangerous commodity. Let the writer of the stupid article have half a dozen torpedoes in his bed-room if the possession of the murderous engines would only prevent the scribbler from working himself into such a terrible state of fear and tears as he has lately done. For goodness sake let him have a torpedo to play with if it will only keep him quiet.