The Daily News MONDAY, JANUARY, 27. COMMAND OF THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 32, 27 January 1908, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, JANUARY, 27. COMMAND OF THE SEA.

H is now more than lifty years since Great Britain was at war with one of the great European Powers. At I hat time there was not a single gun mounted for the protection of any Australasian port, not a solitary volunteer to march out to parade, and Australia for lluee \ear- had been in- the full ilusli of her gold discoveries. Cleat Britain "bottled up" the' ships of the enemy in tile Baltic and Black Seas, so that all her dominions were sate. At this moment the position of every Heel of a foreign j Power should be known to the Admiralty; linv. lhe exact position of every forcie.il man-of-war should be known to the Ailuiirallv. so that in the event of a bidden outbreak it may he hunted i down and de.-l roved. There is good j authority for the assertion (hat this

indeed is -in: but if it is not so. llu'ii ill rcoml to on.' ol t! u.-t illi|iorl;illl essentials callin".' for its existence the

, i Aeiinirnhv N 'ii mockery ami ii fmnil. "! \- lisi- llccn said. 1 lie- position <if every ! foreign man-of-war is kniiuu i» ill'' Ail- '' I mirnlty. so thai any r-i>»itoiiipl=ite-,1 ex- '• lii'ilitinii f"i' attack on any nf tlie '-<lo- ! minimi- Ix-v.nnl the sea'' i-milil scarcely ! Infill to In' i>rj!iinisi'il without tin- mi*- 1 ! pinions of Hi,- Ailmirally lu-injr al once amused anil |m-parations iinineiliatoiv in-litntcd not only for Hi" protect inn j of tin- ports threitcned. not only fo . j the destruction of the conU-mplateil o:

peclition. hut for an immediate attack upon the .■ncmv responsible for such an unilei-takiiig.

There is no foreign port of any ciiioiicc from which an expedition of a hostile nature against these colonics cn\il.l emanate nearer th in several thousands of miles away, and the -hips of aiiv expedition designed to attack the port* of Australasia would require to be large enough to carry coal sufficient not onlv to hring them to these south

cm seas, hut to take them hack again, or would hove, to ailopt the euinhersoine iiiothod of the ill-fated Baltic fleet, namclv, lo provide a fleet of coal liargcs and have these placed at convenient points -a liazardoiis undertaking. The people in' Australasia insist that tliev -.hall have a small Heel of liritish vessels watcliijip at their doors for an assailant that never can come, instead of having the ships of the Empire employed, in the unfortunate event of war, in hunting down the enemy in other and

far awav waters. Let, Australia have and build her own navy .'as she proposes 10. but if Australia is wise she will allow her licet when in being to be employed as a co-ordinate part of the great British Xavv when the time of stress comes. At the moment of writing there are six liritisll mcu-of-war lying ill Wellington harbor. If war broke nut to-morrow of what practical service to the Empire would they be? if unfettered and at the command of the Admiralty they could be sent to destroy the ships of the enemy where it is known they are to be found—anil that i> the surest protection Surely tlwise who have all the knowledge of the situation should have the uncontrolled direction of affairs. It is to the credit of the public men of this Dominion that thev have always fully recognised the true position. Whilst cheerfully contributions have been made to sustain the strength of the navy, so far as New Zealand is concerned they have been unaccompanied by any conditions. This Dominion has tilwav's lieen perfectly willing that the disposal of the strength of the Empire should remain in the hands of the authority which should knowi best how to use* that strength.

A hundred vein's have passed since Britiiin became mistress of the seas, and ilMi-inj! the whole of thai period it may faii'lv~bc claimed slip has used her ini- ! mouse power moderately, justly, and well. During that time examples have - been given to the world of the tricks I ime power will plan to win an excuse I I hat will enable her In crush a rival. Who can doubt that if Germany had ! in her hands to-day the naval strength J of England, and England's strength was I no greater than Germany's, that very i soon all question of rivalry would be brought to an end? At the recent Hague Conference England made an effort, in the interests of the world's peace, to place a limit upon armaments - including, of course, naval power—and she failed, and failed through Germany. Of quite recent years Germany has shown herself an extremely jealous, interfering, bombastic Power—what would -he he if the command'of Hie seas was" in her hands'.' Meanwhile, as tile years have gone by. it has become more and more necessary for England that the command of the waterways of ocean should be retained where it rests to-day. The great bulk of the foodstuffs are brought to her across the seas from other lands. With all her immense wealth, were her supplies cut o(T her people'would be brought to the verge i.f starvation in less than three months. When "Britain loses command of the seas as a Power she practically dies. The people of the colonies have made an effort— a very considerable effort—to ensure that almost all their trade should go to the Motherland: from their revenues they have freely given to sustain in strength the navy, and sooth to say very little appreciation seems to have lioeti shown in England of either of these things. New Zealand has done her duty to the Motherland seeking nothing in return. Tt bad been indicated by the head of our Government that it is proposed to increase our contribution to the navv, and no doubt the people will gladly agree to it. The Motherland is our best—almost our only—market; whilst she protects her own interests she protects ours as well: if the loss of the command of the seas would he ruinous to her it would be no less disastrous to us: the liberal, the generous, policy is the wisest policy: and a gift eeases to be much of a gift when if is accompanied with demands which render its value of small consequence; in truth, to make it next to useless for any practical purpose. A duty rests upon the press of New Zealand to set the position in this matter clearly before the public.