DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 19

DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE

PROGRES& OV THE CONFERENCE. ; EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND. MR DEAKIN SATISFIED. CANADIAN PRESS OPINIONS. . " INSPIRED STATEMENT " INCORRECT. SQUADRON FOR THE PACIFIC. LONDON, August 16. The 'Imperial Government's proposals have been accepted by the conference. \ These provide for the interchangeability of forces in all parts of the Empire, and for tbe organisation, training, equipment of arms, and manoeuvres the same as at Home An active interchange of the officers of the Imperial General Staff will contribute to uniformity, as also will the training colleges in the colonies, which will be in line with the Home staff college. August 17 I ,It is understood that the arrangements made between the Admiralty and the Commonwealth in connection with the Defence Conference _ &nd the subject of the Commonwealth's ratification are entirely satisfactory to Australian national sentiment. It is stated that the Common-wealth-will retain the completest possible control of the Australian jjavy in peace time. The ships will not pass automati-c-ally under the Admiralty's control in war time, but will be placed at the Admiralty's disposal by the Commonwealth if and when the necessity ■ arises, it being fully recognised that the navy in war time must be under one and undivided control. The Australian navy scheme agreed upon, w.hile providing the best form of defence for Australia, will constitute a really effective part of Imperial defence whenever and wherever Imperial interests arc assailed. The plan is described as in complete consonance with the ideas of the Admiralty and may be regarded as a triumph for Australia. There is reason to believe that a Dreadnought as such will not be the form of the Commonwealth's contribution. The Admiralty . has, 6hown its desire to do' its utmost to j meet Australia's aspirations for the , possession of a navy. It has been pointed out that the value of a Dreadnought alone in Australian waters would not be great, and the advantage will be seen in substituting fast oruisers. While Australia's warships at the outset must be built in England and the men and officers be drawn for -acme time from the Imperial navy, ample provision will be made for an interchange of officers, and thus ' the Australian navy, if not an integral part : of the Imperial navy, will be of the same standard in all its essential*. One of the great Australian ports would remain as an Impei'ial naval base, j The establishment of one or more training colleges in Australia, while forming no part of the conference programme/ must lie rega/rded as the foundation -whereon the Commonwealth will build 'the per-sonnel-of the Australian navy The Times' Ottawa correspondent says that official sources declare that there is no difference between the Admiralty and the daughter States regarding contributions to the navy. There is an opinion . that both Canada and Australia will per_eist in their decision in favour of the allocation of ships. Canada's Pacific coast will not be satisfied with any decision of tine Defence Conference which leaves the Pacific free to an enemy. Lord Charles Beresford, in a letter to ' the newspapers, "says that the report of Mr Asquith's committee in the main has given great satisfaction to himself, and some of the reforms whioh he regards as essential are now in -the Admiralty programme. He strongly denies that he was ever guilty of disloyalty to the alty's instructions or that he failed to recognise its paramount authority. \ August 18. Sir J. G. Ward assured a private conTerence of New Zealanders yesterday in ■reference to the Defence Conference that he would go back to New Zealand with j many good results. He was justified in paying in general terms that lie was confident that a very much better condition of affairs would exist after th« conference than, had ever been the case befora.

August 19. In connection with the Defence Conference, Canada, like the other dominions, will create a local section of the Imperial General Staff. Canadian organisation enables Canada to co-operate with the rest of the Empire, as steps were taken to initiate a staff after Sir F.-Borden's 1908 mission to England. The nucleus of a Canadian navy will Ibe commenced immediately, with an eye to tbe Pacific as well as to the Atlantic. | The dock facilities also will be increased." Commenting on the results of the De- ! fence Conference, as far as they are known, the Standard remarks that one vital point is that the programme is based on concerted action, while due attention is paid both to local requirements and the wider interests of Empire. Concerted action is the keynote of the whole scheme, and very much will depend on harmonious co-operation. There has been an increasing readiness in the United Kingdom to examine the question of defence from the standpoint of the oversea dominions — that Imperial unity is based on local equality and Imperial sentiment. An apparently inspired statement in connection with the - conference declares that under an arrangement entered into between Six J. 6. WaTd and tie Admiralty the vessels contributed .by the Dominion will not he Dreadnoughts, but cruisers, forming part of the Pacific squadron, and employed in New Zealand waters for local defence. "No definite information regarding the conference will be forthcoming until the oversea delegates return to their respective dominions and explain the situation fully to their own people and Legislatures. The Times says that not uiut.il Sir J. G. Ward is once mo;ne in New Zealand will the conclusioTis of this historic conference, possibly ouie of the most momentous Imperial gatherings, be officially revealed. The Times emphasises the fact that the statements heretofore, or which may hereafter be made on unofficial authority regarding the results of the Defence Conference must be accepted with due reserve, and cannot profitably be made the subject of detailed comment. The Daily Telegraph, without mentioning Sir J. 6. Ward's alleged arrangement with the Admiralty, an apparently inspired account of which was circulated through Reuter's Agency, remarks that Australia and Canada were definitely committed to the creation of local fleets. Other newspapers are f-ilent, evidently awaiting authoritative official information. August 20. The last plenary sitting of the Defence Conference was held yesterday. Mr Asquith congratulated the delegates on the result of their work. The other Cabinet Ministers were present The overseas delegates to the Defence Conference will attend a meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence. It is stated that it has now been arranged that the results of the Defence Conference will be announced in Parliament at an early date. August 21. The Admiralty has lent Canada a number of officers to advise lier regarding the organisation of her navy. The so-called inspired statement which was circulated in London on the 19th inst. is declared to be incorrect. Out correspondent states that New Zealand will provide a Dreadnought as originally offered, and will also continue the £100,000 subsidy. The Dreadnought will be attached as the Admiral's ship for the China and Pacific station, making, with the fleet, occasional visits to New Zealand. The Home Government will build and pay for, as part of the same command, two cruisers, throe destroyers, and two submarines, with headquarters in New Zealand. It is not eoiTect to pay that the Commonwealth contribution is limited to cruisers. Its unit will include provision for submarines and destroyers, and, if provision is al=o made for a batll<?slijp for Australian waters, Britain may give a partial subvention. Tliess altered arrangements will virtu ally give three or four units or squadrons in Pacific waters. August 22. Mr Haldane, Minister of War. speaking at Liverpool, .=aid that the Naval Conference had come to an aereement for an organisation that -was destined to make the Biiti-h. Empire one and indivisible for

defence. He predicted tliat the agreement would play a great part in securing - peace of .the vorld. It put the naval and military .'forces of "the" Crown on an " entirely new footing. The Spectator says that the result of Lord Charles Bereeford's demand for a naval inquiry has proved of no small national advantage Lord Beresford had ■ struck a real blow in favour of naval efficiency, and the committee's report had given a mortal wound to " FLsherism "—" — ■ that is, the unchecked exercise of power by one individual who was particularly , unsuited 4 by personal characteristics to exercise such a monopoly. Mr M'Kenna has introduced, into the House of Commons a bill to amend " The Colonial Naval Defence Act. 1865," by empowering a colonial Government to provide that seamen, raised under that act, may be bound to (rearer al service in the Royal Navy in ml •mergency - OTTAWA, August 49. Mr Bryce, British Ambassador at Washington, in a speech at the Canadian Club at St. John, New Brunswick, said : " The full self-government whioh the great dominions enjoy is recognised by Britain as much as by you, and is one of the most effective weapons for securing both your own welfare and ,a sense of Imperial unity .binding us- together. Any and every effort whicb you and the other great dominions are disposed to make concerning the common defence .of the - Empire and each part thereof will be welcomed by us, not only as a help ■ towards- securing the safety, of eaclr territory — and in this there is no sort or kind of aggression, for our relations with all the great nations are friendly, — but also as evidence of the feeling of common patriotism and ilevotion for purpose animating us all." August 20. The Winnipeg Tribune condemns the decision to impose on Canada her own navy, instead of joining the other colonies in a contribution towards the improvement and maintenance of the' Royal Navy to the standard of the Empire's necessities. The Montreal Witness expresses the fear that Canada's and Australia's rejoic.ing in the triumph of their independence , of policy in regard to naval defence will weaken those elements in the dominions whioh make for Imperial tinitj, and will encourage and strengthen the centrifugal forces. The Montreal Press and Quebec Patrie approve of the autonomous principle, which is understood to underlie tbe Defence Conference's work. ; MELBOURNE, August 18. ' Mr Deakin states that though he has not yet received any statement from Colonel ' Poxton in reference to the acceptance of the Commonwealth's navaJ proposals, judging from ihe press cablegrams they have been accepted from first to last. The fact that the Commonwealth is to keep the completast <ontrol of the boats of her unit in time of t>eflCe will, no doubt, be extremely gratifying to Australians. This does not include the Dreadnought, since such a vessel would not display its full efficiency in the oceans in the neighbourhood of Australia. The unit will consist principally of cruisers, one of which, probably, will lepresent the highest present development in the way of swift cruisers. The proposals also provide for harbour defence as well as an Birangement for an Australian base. The estimated upkeep of the new unit is stated at from £750,000 to £1,000,000 annually. It is part of the arrangement that the Commonwealth is to have the right to determine whether an emergency at any time is such as to justify Australian vessels passing to the Imperial corotrol. This means, in effect, that the Federal Government will decide whether an emergency has arisen. A further miii portant feature is that the boats, as far as possible, will be both officered and manned by Australians. j