THE ALL-RED ROUTE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 2037, 28 December 1907, Page 5

THE ALL-RED ROUTE.

Press Association—Copyright. Received Dec. 27, 9.26 p.m. Loudon. Last Night. The Right Hon. Sir J. Colomb, in a letter to The Times, says it is a mischievous misnomer to describe the route from England to Australasia via Canada as All Red. The calling of a routs mainly maritime, by a falso name, would neither prevent commercial competition in peace, nor frighten victorious admirals in war time from shutting it up like a telescope. The attempt to delude popular opinion by means of emotional claptrap may again impose upon the nation the pains and penalties of a gigantic and costly sham, after Mr Haldane’s warning (cabled on the 18th). “If the nation wishes to have postponed so terrific a catastrophe as the abandonment of the two-power" standard,’’ concluded the Admiral, 1 ’ it must refuse to listen to colonial appeals for money to multiply sea routes in order to facilitate commercial operations, unless the colonies consent to share the responsibilities and cost of maintenance of the Fleet. If the several parts of the Empire cannot, or will not, combine to provide the naval power necessary_ to secure what is a common essential to all of them, the sceptre of the sea must pass from British hands.”

THE TIMES IN DEFENCE

Received Dec. 28, 7.40 a.m. , Loudon, Deecember 27 The Times admits the cogency of Admiral Colomb’s contention as to the All Red route that a system of maritime defence ought to take precedence of the All Red route, but urges that since the main thing is to knit the several parts of the Empire together in bonds of common interest and common policy perhaps the popular instinct is sound in using practicable means to ensure that end without troubling about precedences. Tims the All Red route may provide a schoolmaster teaching all parts of the Empire to recognise the necessity for unity and solidarity.