IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 162, 3 August 1909, Page 2

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE SOLUTION. B UTILISING THE COLONIAL DREADNOUGHTS. C VIEWS OF THE TIMES. G By Cable—Press v Kecehed August, i, ... ' The Times, in an iuiuui ocneo 01 leuun* discussing the i'»ut problems 01 ] impaial uu.ence, advocates mite v"Uvipics 10 guieru the permaiKnt ju.uLull. ji) That each dominion must develop us owu naval resources, ..«">.■. u. tiwu i'arliamcut. (2) Ihat the training and material 01 Wis overseas lu.ix* must «a lar as possible be uie same. (3) That individual ehurui must b co-oidiuated with tue common eud. i

If Canada will make the aortiiern lacine her naval sphere, Lie liuies pro.ceas, she must do so in combination wiui the common naval policy covering an parts of the world. One of the lust ..uestions before the present Conference I*o how best to utilise the olfers of New Zealand and Australia. The acceptance of the Dreadnoughts for European service can only be .regarded as a special measure for a special emergency, and is quite distinct from the progressive naya. policy which the Conference must strive to evolve. , The Times sugg.-»'.s that the fund voted by New ;...ii..ad and Australia would bo more p.oiitably applied to cruisers fitted for the Australian station, better qualified ;t>r the immediate requirements than i. ttleslnps. I™ growing local Australian flotilla v>ould benefit from tho joint training with the British squadron, and tne Imperial cruiser squadron would extend operations from Simon's Town to oydney, and Auckland to Vancouver. This would show tile Hag where at present it is little seen, and ensure the donors seeing their own gifts and so encourage popular interest in naval affairs. Also it would do much to facilitate the establishment of a single standard throughout the Empire. The fleets would bring home to their beholders the actual meaning of naval power. This policy, the Times concludes, might not be summarily accepted at the present Contcre.it.-, out there might be a full-dress conference held in 1011. The Times strongly urges an Imperial general staff for the navy. SIR JOSEPH WARD AGAINST THE PROPOSALS. When Sir Joseph Ward's attention was • called to the Tunes' suggestion, he expressed the belief that the New Zealand Government would not favor it. The : Dominion would mostly prefer to adhere to its own proposal. COHERENCE OF THE EMPIRE. London, August 1. The Standard says general satisfac 1 tion ought to be felt at the recognitor 5 accorded to Sir J. G. Ward and t.i< - acknowledgment of New Zealand siuy • alty. The occasion was an epoch-makinj object lesson 011 the intimate coheren.i

of the Empire. GERMAN OPINION.' Berlin, August 1. The North German Gazette expresses satisfaction at the tone of the Dreadnought debate, and says Mr. Asquitn'a declaration that the British programme is inspired solely out of regard to the safety of the country also represents the idea which alone governs the German naval policy.