DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 25

DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE

LONDON, September 8. Sir Benjamin Browne, M.1.C.E., in The Times' engineering supplement, dealing with the question of colonial arsenals atad dockyards, suggests that colonial shipbuilding, steel works, marine engine, and ordnance yards be encouraged to improve their methods and to enlarge their shops by offers of a share of the Government contracts. He proposes that colonial firms should get in touch with old-established English houses, who are willing to find some capital, with additional management, and to supply designs and drawings. He i suggests that colonial firms might arrange Ito buy out the English element after a term of years. Such a method, he thinks, would develop local experience and patriotism better than asking English companies to 6tart colonial branches. September 9. At a meeting of the Dreadnought Fund subscribers to-day the Lord Mayor subtnitted a scheme for the disposal of the , moneys subscribed by the public (£85,000) j towards the cost of a Dreadnought, but ' not now required for that purpose, the j Commonwealth Government having made | other arrangements regarding naval dej fence. His proposal was that in order jto commemorate the wave of patriotic • feeling which England's need drew forth •and as a symbol of the States' attachment to the Mother Country the fund I and accrued interest be devoted to the building and equipment of a King Edward Naval College near Sydney for the training of Australian cadets "for the Empire navy as officers, engineers, naval architects, and equipping and maintaining one or more farms for the training of British lads in Australia© farming. He estimated that the college and farm would each cost £50,000. | The feeling of the meeting was favourable to the Lord Mayor's proposals, and it was decided to further consider them at an early date. Meanwhile the subi scribers to the Dreadnought Fund will be i generally notified. '

'A crocodile that escaped from a broken case at the St. Lazare Station, Paris, strolled into the 6treet. It '"smiled" when, hit by five revolver bullets, but was grave when two policemen captured it with a slip-knofc.