The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1905. COLONIAL DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7849, 15 June 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1905. COLONIAL DEFENCE.

It is only natural that ,tho recent naval operations on the part of Jaipan and Russia should have onco again raised the question of securing for the Australasian colonics on, adequate portion of the" British dart for the protection of their territory and commerce. With the indiscred utterances of Admiral Fanshawe at the Lord Mayor's banjjbet in Sydn|}>'. ,wc.,d.o not propbgc to .deal, beyond asserting that it is inconceivable how an . officer of such high standing and experience invhis owv. department could have so far • forgotten himself as to rush into tbo syena of colonial politics, which •'ho should let severely alone, instead of confining himself' to the high duties .entrusted to him as an officer in command of the Australasian Squadron. Even the excuse that the oration was of a post-prandial naturo does not suffice to exculpate him from treading the same dangerous path which led to Lord Dundonald's recail from Canada. That 14io colonies may very well be trusted to manage their own affairs has been amply demonstrated, and •whether Admiral Fanshawe'a opinions as to tbo duties of the Colon al Governments are right or wrong, it was to say the least, extremely injudicious of "him to thrust tiiem forward unasked, and 1 subject himself to the wen-merited rebuke be has received at the hands of the Australian press. There is a tendency in some quarters to regard Iho (Question of the protection of the colonies' aad their trade as one that should ba measured by the cjiuota of financial subsidy contributed to the Imperial exchequer. Of all the Little Pedlington ideas this is the most amazing. TBo British Empire has not been built up on such a sordid plan as that. The pride which Groat Britain takes in her colonies, and more especially in the growth of colonial trade, is manifested to the world at large by the enormous naval force which has been built up year by'year to meet, the ever increasing requirements tor protecting the whole of the vast and widelyscattered Empire, and whether or not the colonies contributed anything towards the enormous cost of this great naval force, the Motherland would not shirK the responsibility of jealously guarding her over-sea, possessions from the danger of any enemy that might arise. Thu real question is rather whether the colonies have not an equal pride in their own independence which will not suffer them to receive all and give nothing or next to nothing in return.' The answer to this is self-evident. The contribution of £40,000 to which New Zealand committed herself in 1903 may have been as much as this country could well afford at that time, but, since then, the trad® of the colony has increased by leaps and bounds, and so.hag its prosperity. The Premier, when spealsing at Kaitangata recently, pointed out that the original proposal submitted by the Admiralty involved a contribut 011 of £,90,000 by; New, Zealand and £200,000 by A|l6tF(lU a towards -the upkeep of an efficient Australasia]) Squadron, but from motives of (.conomy the uuiouiit was reduced. "In the light of developments in the i'ar liast s nee then," suid Mr Seddon, "I am convincti that the first' scheme submitted ought to have been adopted. ' What has occurred recently in the East demonstrates the necessity for this matter being brought up again and reconsidered. probably, il ' so reconsidered, hofh Australia and New Zealand would fall in with the proposal# first made."- When it is realised that the annual cost of the Imperial Navy (taking the figures for. 1904) is over thirty-five and a half millions, the insignificance of a Contribution of even £.<100,000 is at once apparent, but it serves to emphasise what Wfc have already pointed cjiti iSai a»5 attaint contributed

by the colonies is to te regarded more as an acknowledgment of the tie which binds, us to the Motherland t!ia» as return for services rendered. According to the .return Istucd in 1904 the number of vessels of all descriptions comprismjr tilt Navy was 558'. Of this total 67 were battleships, 55 armoured cruisers, 108 protested Cruisers, 8 unpro- | tecled cruisers, a scouts, 32 torpedo i vessels, 160 torpedo boat destroyers, •91 torpedo boat.-, and 29 submarines. lln case of netou ;t'he iCojJoUifcst could rely on the services of the greater part of this va.it force but the chief protection must necessarily be tint Australasian Sjjuadron, and it is towards the maintenance of thai particular section of the navy that the colonies feel bound, as a matter of honour and duty, to contribute to such an extent as will bo commensurate with their dignity and the in» portunce of the r commerce. Th a t each of those interested will cheerfully do its duty in this 1 respect need not for a moment be questioned. At the same time it fe? well not! to lose sight of the fact that the security of the colonies is greatly strengthened by the crushing defeat which England's r ally ha# inflicted on the Rus. sian navy. Th- : position now occupied by Japan in naval matters is an clemont that should prove pll great value to the British Empire but we must also bear n mind that m future Japan will expect to b« treated with as much', if not more, consideration than has been accorded to. those whom wa have been accustomed to regard as traditional enemies. This is only right, for Japan has risen to the rank of a Great Power, and must) henceforth! Ibq treated as sucn, and Her people will justly cjaijn to be regarded ai no longer belonging to the classi undesirable aliens. Much is being said ■and writCfcn on this subject, as if, after the War, the Japs would have nothing else to do but to over-run the globe, assert. their importance, and threaten vengeance on all countries which did not receive them with open arms.-' The Japanese 'will have [ far more inducement to occupy them- | selves nearer home. There • will be

ample scope for their expansion in the East, and there is not the slight-

est ground for anticipating any trouble from Japan unless it is created by short-slghtod politicians and indiscreet harpings on the "yellow peril" bogey. Whatever colonial feelting may be on the matter, it is to be hoped that a wise policy will be pursued with regard to Japan, for with the aid of such a powerful allj, Great Britain's position will be more secure than ever, and the safety of the colonies placed beyond question