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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 176, 18 August 1909, Page 2

lIOMOItEXEAL IMPERIAL DEFEN'CE. It is very evident LU:it material ami substantial considerations' relative to defence matters Imvc been under review by tiie Imperial Defence Conference now sitting in London, anil that. as ivas predicted,'the deliberations have not been in an.v sense merely preliminary to a Inter conference summoned to deal with n concrete agenda. So far as the conclusions of tile Conference have teen made known, they point indisputably to the conclusion that far-reaching jm*pos'.ils will on the return of the delegates to their respective countries, be Kubmitted t>o their Governments for consideration and endorsement. It is evident from the information already vouchsafed us that the main object aimed at, so far as the land forces of the Empire arc concerned, is uniformity of equipment and method The value of homogeneity, in tli. of a sudden mobilisation of troops from various quarters at any threatened point is too apparent to need eni'phasisifig, anil in having achieved unanimity ou that question n ione the Conference has made ,v ""table advance in the consolidation of the Imperial fabric. To what extent the manhood of the Empire will lie called upon to en-operate individually in the scheme of defence is a matter that must be settled in the respective dominions' themselves, lint, it is very apparent that everything points to the fact that universal (raining, aud universal liability for service, must ere long be the price paid for immunity from foreign molestation. Xot less interesting to every subject Jn the Empire will be the recommendation of the conference with regard (o the future policy and disposition of the naval forces, but it may be confidently taken for granted that the consummation of tbc deliberations will be to place the safety and security of each and every portion of the Empire upon c. basis that need never fear challenge.