BRITAIN'S DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 28, 3 February 1904, Page 2

BRITAIN'S DEFENCE.

VltllVlfeilONS OF THE NHW SCIIKMK. UINIiO.V. I''eb. 1. Till' 'l'iiui's states that u 111U■ r tho new achenit' the Inspector-General's j stall will consist of tin' lnspectorsI Uvneral of cawilry, artillery, etc. I Tlif hispi-ctor-(!i'iii'rnl is to be <lie dhiel' unipiri' at innnoeuvr(js and president. of a select,ioil . board consist iny of Ki'iu'i'uls commanding. Lord liobrrts is obviously designed ior Hie posi'Uon, but he can be in.luml to accept it or will allow it lo k'o to sonio other dis-tiiiß'uiisln-d soldier, as for instance the Hake of ConnaiiKlit [who is both, popular awl successful) is not known. Tin' appointments should not be 'delayed. The Daily Kxpress mentions the Duke of l'omiaiig>hl, whom General Sir Orenfell succeeds In Ireland. The Times suifges-ts selecting Sir George CUu'ke as Permanent- Secretary to the Defence Committee, providing theiv is adequate iinducif-mi-nt for him to aliandon the Governorship of Victoria. His experience i" Australia would help lo keep tlx." colonial aspect of the problem more closely before the, rigiht Ministers. The War Ollice inei'dentally a«quit», the Government of remissness during the lali* war, declaring that it powiessed mi adeijaaUi means of obtaining a seasoned opinion on which to base a war policy in 1899. Till- trouble was a defective system.

THE COMJIITTKE ON DEFENCE.. ADMISSION OP COLONIAL STATESMEN. (Heccived Feb. !!, 1.3 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 2. On Mr Asuuith-'s motion- the Council of the Kmpire League colngratulaU'd (Ireut llritaiu amd Oanaida on the aKlmission of the Hon. F. W. Bor■dea-, Canaidiiui Minister for Defence, to the delibvratic-ns of the Committee on Dufente. Mr AKtjuith hoped (he precedent would be followed periodically in the case of tire Australaiilan arid other colonies. Imperial Defence was a single, thoti'g'h a composite, problem, and iV was expedient that the IVamcrs of the local -defencq of the colonies', studying, local roquironionts, should take counsel with the Imperial authorities. Hon. W. I'. Keeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, considered that tlie taking of counsel ehoultl be systematised and machinery provided to make the suggestion of practical valval. 'Phe aid of the first statesmen of the. different parts of the Empire should be sought, and they should Iw invited to ofltor advice on all matters regarded as of Imperial moment.