IMPERIAL PRESS CONGRESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 117, 15 June 1909, Page 2

IMPERIAL PRESS CONGRESS

KAV'AL REVIEW. A REALISTIC AiTAUK. London, June ••"■ Fine, cold weather prevailed «t l'orumouth. The review and inspection ships, us already cabled, lasted _ hi hour. Then the 'Lords of the Admiralty and the Press delegates went "■ l/oard the Dreadnought and witnessed ,i realistic attack of torpedoes and submarines upon the Dreadnought. Afterwards, off Whale Island lU.-J witnessed an attack on a squadron of gunboats landing bluejackets; tneiici iliev were taken through the dockyards. Admiral Sir John Fisher (Admiral of the Fleet) accompanied them. ■A RE.VLIiRfTISH FLEET." VIEWS OF THE DELEGATES. Received 14, 10.30 p.m. liontlon, June 14. ' Mr Ward (editor of the Sydney Daily Telcrapav), interviewed in regard to the naval review, said! "We have seen a real British licet, and the idea of building up a little ocean-going navy ot our own 'must shrink to nothing. Mr. -Kyftin Thomas (Adelaide) remarked: -'We were able to note the improvements in the Navy since the Coronation review, being particularly struck with the river class of boat proposed as a nucleus of an Australian navv. The destroyer*' weye also a theme of admiration." Air. Cunningham (Melbourne) said lie was most impressed by the fact that one of the ships be saw in the front line at the Jubilee review ill 18!>7 was not seen on Saturday. This constituted the Motherland'* sacrifices to maintain, the safety of the Empire. There is a strong feeling of regret among the delegate* that advantage of ' such a eight could noHie shared by all the .peoples of the Empire. Seeing even one division of the licet would, they L hold, hrins the more distant parts into ' closer touch with the .Motherland.

THE UNITY OF VIEW'S. SUCCESS OF THE CONFERENCE. Received 14, 11.30 ip.m. Ixmdmi. June 14. The Times, re-echoing Mr. Asquilli'J icinark Unit tlie unity of views at the Press Conference regarding the serious and urgent topic of our coniinoii Imperial defence, says' it w a lmppv prelude and an auspicious (mien for the Defence Conference. The Times emphasises that the con•ference bas done one thing alone worth nil the effort involved—it elicited from the leaders of nil parties the recognition of u vital truth of the ailisenee of lliinlity and awakeued interest in Imperial questions which must prove of great assistance to the Defence Conference,