EMPIRE DEFENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 98, 29 August 1913, Page 5

EMPIRE DEFENCE.

THE OVERSEAS NAVtES.

CANADIAN POSITION

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association,]

London, August 28

The 'Times' Toronto correspondent

says tiiat although Australia and the Imperial authorities favor the proposed Pacific Naval Conference at Vancouver, it is doubtful whether Canada is ready for such a conference. The disposition of the Government is t( adopt the policy of New Zealand 01 the preference policy of Australia,

The Montreal Herald urges an Imperial Conference with.a wider scope than any previously held. The naval question involves issues so vast thai almost any sacrifice) is justified in older to reach a right solution. Unless the plan is applied to all oversea Dominions an era of chaos is likely t' continue. It adds that it is inevitable that the naval policy for sonic time to come will continue to be r party question in Canada. AUSTRALIA'S POLICY.

Mr L. V. Harcourt, replying to Sir Gilbert Parker in the House of Com-

mons during July, said he understood chat the late Government of the Com moil wealth of Australia approved tin principles of Admiral Sir Reginah Henderson's scheme of naval defence and proposed to carry it into effeci in due course. He had no informa tion as to the views of the present Go vernment with regard to this question Die scheme recommended by Sir Re ginald Henderson contemplated tin ultimate creation of a ilect of eight armored cruisers, ten protected cruisers, 18 destroyers, and 12 submarines. The total period of construction wa to be 22 years. When fully manned the fleet would require a personnel o J 11,81-1 officers and men. The annua cost of maintenance when the fill scheme was completed would be £2, 226,000 for personnel, £1,226,000 fo the maintenance of ships in commis •-.ion. Xo construction had been spec: ally undertaken'under the. scheme Thero were at present being construct ed in Australia, in accordance wit! the' arrangements arrived at at th< Imperial Naval and Military Confer ence of 1909, one second-clegs cruise nnd three destroyers. None of thes vessels had, so far, been completed One destroyer, which was shipped, t Sydney in parts, was re-erected a the New South Wales Governmen' Dockyard

THE NEED FOR A CONFERENCE (Received 9.25 a.m.) Sydney, August 27. The Sydney Morning Herald .con. men ting on Imperial Defence says everyone welcomes the re-opening o negotiations for 'holding an Imperia Conference. The demand for a con ference rests on three clear grounds viz., (1) the Colonial Ministers pa"

ticipating in 1909 or 1911 conferenc ire not now in power; (2) the who! international position has changet since 1909, necessitating a readjust--sent of policy. This is the reaso ,vhy England had not adhered to tin L 909 agreement. Australia desire; to know what the highest naval authorities consider is < necessary in order that Imperial interests in the Pacifi might bo adequately protected; (3 the conference would clear the ai in regard to the whole subject. Thathere is still need for the removal o' misunderstanding is shown in the -de bate in the New Zealand Parliament It does not seem to be recognised tha the Australian unit is portion of th< Great Imperial Navy, and would b used for general Imperial purpose' whenever and wherever the occasio arises. The smrwstions for co-opera tion by Now Zealand and Australh were in every sense consistent witl that unity of purpose and contro 1 which was mentioned in the New Zealand Parliament.

According to a statement relatini to the world's Dreadnoughts, whicl lias been compiled by Mr Alan IT Rourgoyne, M.P., who is secretary for the Navy League, Great Britai; builds ships of the type morr quickly and more cheaply than an? other Power. Our average period o< construction, reckoning from layinf down to commissioning,- was 28.D' months for 2-1 ships, while that o Germany was 35.56 months for 14 ship The Lion cost £78.-1 per ton displacement, and the Moltke £95.3, althoug' the British ship is more heavily armei and faster. The cost of the Monaro.l worked out at £83.3 per ton, am 'hat of the Thueringen at £102.7 Tie Delaware cost the United States £92.; per ton, and the Danton cost France

£122.3 per ton. Mr Burgoyne reckon: that at the end of the current fmaneia year we shall' have' 30 Dreadnought in commission, and ' Germany J 7 Twelve months later the correspon ding figures will he Mo and 21, and n March 31, 1916, 42 and 26. Betweei thorn, Germany, Austria, and Italj will have 2.'5 Dreadnoughts in Marcl next, 31 on March 31, 1915, and 4' on March 31, 1916

Dreadnoughts i.f the earlier typ are now looked upon in naval circle:' as "hack numbers," but when the naval manoeuvres are completed seve ral of these vessels nre to undergo : refitting of an extensive nature (sta tos the Sydney Daily Telegraph's Lou don correspondent). A supplemen tary estimate will he introduced t< provide for the cos!', which will hi considerable, since the alterations wii include various modifications in arm,".ment and increases in the weight am range of the guns.