THE NAVAL SITUATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 69, 17 April 1909, Page 2

THE NAVAL SITUATION

CABLE NEWS ißy Cabin.—Hreni AMOoiatloa—CopT' riglit.)

Mil. CHCKUULL'S LElli'.U. ITS KEFEHEXCE TO THE COLONIAL DREADNOUGHT. Received April Hi, lll.ll) p.m. London, April liif Tlie Welsiniiisler (inzetle, jcferriiy to a phrase in Air. Churchill's letter, assumes that I lie battleships given by tlie colonies will be in addition to those constructed from Hume resource,,. This, the paper think.s, would be an excessive provision. While the country weliiiuieii the oiler of the colonies, there wus no reason why these should lead Rriliiin to build a 'fleet larger than tlmt required for safety. AUSTRAL) AX (ii IVKRXMKNTS RESOLVE. UNWILLING TO PROVIDE A DREADNOUGHT. PREMIER'S INVIDIOUS REFERENCES Received Afiril Hi, ll.i> p.m. Hrisliuue, April Hi. Air. Fisher, Federal Premier, replying to coinineiits regarding tlie Government's naval policy, said that if the people of the Coniinoiiwciilth wanted the Governmeal to present a Dreadnought they - would have to provide another (Soverninent to do it. lli-s idea was that ii would be fur belter for all concerned if they spent the money 011 strengthening their own defences, lie did not wish to say anything about uu).«e people. Who wished to present u Dreadnought, hut he declined to commit the Government to .such 11 foolish net. Thus* who advocated giving n Dreadnought would have to go to the Mother Country and ask iier to provide the money to do it Could anything lie more riilieulouar Tiny simply declared to the world that they had neither ■ the money to build tlte battleship, thenwlves nor hud they dockyards or material for building then). They also had to admit they . hud neither the men to man tUeni nor trained men to officer them.

AUSTRALIAN NAVAL FORCES. AVAILABLE TO BHJTAIX WHEX NECESSARY. Received A]iril 111, 10.58 p.m. London, April 10. Tlic Tillies, on the authority of a well-informed correspondent, states that the Commonwealth has cabled to the Admiralty intimating that in the event of an 'emergency the whole of the nava! forces of Australia would be placed unreservedly under the Admiralty's direction upon lite request of the commander of the Australian station.