Naval Defence.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4491, 20 November 1909, Page 2

Naval Defence.

London, November 18. Sir Wm. White, who was director of the naval construction, and was the responsible designer for all H.M. Ships, from 1885 to 1902, when he resigned owing to ill-health, speaking at the Society of Arts, said it was satisfactory to note that wiser counsels were again prevailing in the Admiralty, and that the necessity for employing vessels of many classes in the Imperial Navy was rec»gnised. He hoped that the Colonial contributi°ns to naval defence would not be limited to provision of ships, but also to include personal service. London, November 18.

Lord Lucas, Parliamentary Under* Secretary of War, speaking at the Liberal Colonial Club, described the efforts being made to secure a homogenous Imperial Army. Thirty Imperial officers were now serving in Aus, tralia, Now Zealand and Canada while twelve of their officers were in Britain. It was possible that a Canadian Battalion would be present at the next British manoeuvres. The military forces of the Empire totalled almost a million and a quarter.