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The Daily News TUESDAY, JUNE 26. NAVAL PROTECTION.

No doubt the fact that covetous Eastern eyes raiy ba turned on Australasia has had something to do of late years with colonial anxiety in regard to naval defence. The feeling of security that the occasional presence of the grey-painted ships of the Australian squadron gives some peoplo is not shared by everyone in the colonies. Australia pays a goodly contribution to the upkeep of the Royal Navy and New Zealand pays sufficient to scrape a few boilers per year. As the colonial contributions are so small and as there doesn't seem to be any grave reason why John Bull shall be concerned for our safety, said John isn't concerned. Ten or twelve years ago the class of warship that protected us was mostly composed of rust, paint and ancient timber, armed with obsolete guns and manned by officers and men who were just as picturesque aa they now are. * * * »

* * * » Phobadlv the feeling of security in those days was due to the impress that cocked hats, beautiful buttons and nicely gilt swords left. The chief greyhound uf the deep in those days had for its chief protection a five-inch gun. It was never fired, for fear it might sink the ship I The old boat got so shaky that it went Home and was dismantled. Then it was towed outside Portsmouth and put to bed by half a dozen rounds fired by a modern warship. To-day things are a little better. As a member of the Federal Senate put it the other day, •' the Powerful had broken down and the Pyramus was under repair." Then lately the Encounter went out to find the Oswestry Grange and steamed five hours past Wellington Heads on the search. In the meantime the funeral ship steamed dead slow into the capital port and tied up at the wharf. Tho Oswestry Grange was not a Japanese cruiser.

# # * * In New Zealand and in Australia there is a Navy Lea«ue. It is an organisation intended to foster an interest in the British Navy, and the members gather round as often, as possible and admire one another. Also quite a number of Leagueites are under the impression that the patronage of a naval officer is the easiest way into society, and so pathetically kow-tow to the lace and gilt sword and all the rest of it. In the meantime, although the officers are very nice men indeed, and the little schoolboys knows Nelson's last signal by heart, the Australian squadron isn't much of a squadron anyhow and it isn't likely to be on hand when it is most needed.

# # # « We pay away a good sum of money every year for inefficient protec'ion and gold lace, and the question that is worrying Australia should also worry us. If we want to be safe, why not see to it ourselves ? In this respect this colony and the Australian States might federate, and, if we tried hard, we might build ships for coast defence, at any rate, that would go where they were required. The flagship Powerful doesn't go where she is required. The other day she backed all over Sydney harbor in a perfectly irresponsible way, It may have afforded a fine spectacle for Navy League boys, but it isn't worth paying a lot of money to see a warship that can't be steered playing the " goat" in this fashion. Both Aus tralia and New Zealand have special facilities and materials for building warships, and both countries with an immense coastline have need of protection that will protect. At the present time the colonies are almost helpless. Some day, perhaps, when it strikes us to help ourselves and build colonial ships of colonial steel, manned by colonial officers ami men, Taranaki may get a good look in to supply the steel.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19060626.2.4

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8142, 26 June 1906, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
639

The Daily News TUESDAY, JUNE 26. NAVAL PROTECTION. Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8142, 26 June 1906, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, JUNE 26. NAVAL PROTECTION. Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8142, 26 June 1906, Page 2

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