Rangitikei Advocate TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1909. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9417, 13 April 1909, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1909. EDITORIAL NOTES.

THOUGH many complaints have beeh made that the naval defence aoheme proposed by Mr Fisher in Australia is founded on a total misapprehenison of the principles Of naval warfare, no one appears to have suggested what kind of vessels -are required to form an efficient navy for Australia, The first principle of both land and sea warfare is that no defence is any value which does not include the power of attack. If we attempt to apply this principle by enquiring what kind of force is likely to threaten Australia we shall obtain some idea as to what kind of navy should ba provided in order to convert defence into attack. In a naval war Australia is admittedly open ti raids but these would only be made by, second class vessels which could well ba spared from the main fleet. If Britain it defeated as the resultof ,a naval war and loses the command of the sea Australia will then be liable’to invasion bat in this case only second class ships will have to be dealt with as it is not too much to say that the nation that has defeated Britain will not have many Dreadnoughts ready to take the sea. Australia will therefore best provide for her safety by building fast armoured cruisers of the type of the Russiaan Rurik or the British Shannon. The Rurik is a vessel of 15,000 tons and carries 4 10in., 8 Sin. and 20 4.7 in. guns. It can do about 23 knots and its cost was about £1,000,000. Half a dozen of these vessels would make it extremely warm for any raiders and in the case of an attempted invasion would not only be able to put a good fight against anything less powerful than a first class battleship but would also.prove most effective in harassing the transports and supply vessels which would accoompany the invading fleet. It may be said that Australia conld not afford to provide such a squadron as indicated. But if the people of Britain can pay 15a per head every year for their fleet Australia could certainly afford 10s per head. gThis would provide £2,000,000 a year which would prove ample for the construction and maintenance of six first classs cruisers.