The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE AND IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 239, 15 February 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE AND IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

A satirical suggestion has been made by an expert writer on 'lmperial matters that the 1911 Imperial Conference lias been arranged to discuss the oilkial status of the High Commissioners of tlio dominions "'and a few other matters of equal levity." There is the shadow of a fear in contemporary writing on Im.perial topics that the great question of unity of defence will be shelved, mainly because "defence was settled at the last Conference." But as has been previously pointed out, the real organisation of Imperial defence, adequate co-ordination and effective interlinking of system has but commenced. By far the most important phase of the subject is to be found in the comparative defencelessness of India, and in influential quarters there is already a disposition to regard the new spirit which has arisen in Australia and New Zealand—not to mention Canada and South Africa—as an earnest of the desire of the dominions to defend the Empire, as distinct from defending their own territory. The scheme of Imperial defence includes all the countries named above, and in each country, by the advice of Admiralty and War Office experts, there are, in the making, both naval and military schemes. The advice of experts has been taken because the four great dominions are at least really concerned as to their individual and collective safety, and, as far as can be gathered, India Is ignored in the general scheme. Many suggestions have been made in regard to the inclusion of India in the Imperial defence scheme, and one of the earliest was that India should be represented at the Imperial Conference. But a suggestion of much more human interest and significance is tliat Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, each being nearer to India than are the British Isles, should in the event of war despatch reinforcements to India in order to relieve the pressure on British troops, and "for the benefit of the Indian taxpayer." In fact, the Army of Empire, any section of which might be sent to any portion of the King's dominions, is the only true conception of such a machine. The suggestion has been made, and solely because of the naval movements in Canada, South Africa and Australia, that India should shoulder the responsibility of maintaining an Indian Ocean fleet, manned by British sailors, and, one supposes, approximating to the old-time "Indian Marine," that has a record of achievement, making its history a proud one. The advantages of such an organisation are obvious. It is assumed that the Indian Ocean fleet would dominate the Pacific. Australia, Canada and New Zealand would be guarded on a commanding flank against attack from Asia. India would be pleased to have greater and more direct participation in the work of Empire. Canada, Australia and New Zealand, if they furnished reinforcements for India, would secure comparative safety from attack on their Pacific frontiers. The Spectator, in discussing the matter, held that India should do more than she was now doing in the way of Imperial naval defence, and that a revival of the Indian Marine would be a step in the right direction, and in keeping with the disposition of other British countries to shoulder their share of the burden. If the Asiatic dependencies— Ceylon, the Straits Settlement, the Malay Federation and Hon? Kong—were to be imbued with the spirit now animating Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa, the margin of danger would be materially lessened. If Australia and New Zealand helped in the manner indicated by holding in readiness troops for service in India, the British naval position in the Tndian Ocean would, of course, be much stronger. If there is a probability that, but for a lead, the question of Imperial defence will be shelved at the Conference, it might be appropriate enough that the New Zealand member of the Conference introduced the subject. The suggestion that the Conference might appoint a committee to apportion the responsibility in the matter of naval protection to each of the Asiatic dependencies seems an eminently just and reasonable one. The occasion for the ii=p of an Imperial defence system will at once settle the question of participation. There can be no doubt, even though organisation is incomplete, urgent Imperial necessity would remove most of the present difficulties. And the curious points that although India once had a very effective navy, when there was less need for it than now, that she at present takes no active interest in the protection of her own shores, and that the "partner nations" are doing their share, are good reasons for the introduction of the question at the Imperial Conference.