MOROCCO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 90, 2 September 1912, Page 5

MOROCCO.

ELI HIBA'S FORCES DEFEATED. tty C;'M(—Pr<'~~ A--<«iiation —Copyrijrlit. Received 1. 't.'j p.m. T:iiiirii-r, HI. Ad view received frurti Mazafran statn that Manjrin inlli'-tw! enormous lo—-e~ <m El Hiba's f-.n- -. E! I!it>:i brother •ml several Kaids were killed.

A LAUNCH EXPEDITED. By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. London, August 30. The Admiralty is expediting the launch of the battle ship Iron Duke by a; month to ■enable the earlier laying down of the larger vessel which 'will succeed the Iron Duke on the stocks. A LOOKER-OX. Berlin, August 30. Captain Persuis, the naval expert of the Tageblatt, describes his unmolested visit to Harwich, and close inspection of the firing. He also visited the vicinity of the targets and watched the night attack of the torpedo boats during the manoeuvres. THE FEDERATION SCHEME. NEWSPAPER COMMENT. Received 1, 5.5 p.m. London, August 31. The Times disavows anticipating a separate Australian policy for the Pacific as a Sydney cablegram suggests. The paper denies being immediately concerned for the arrangements l of the Defence Conference in 1000, which suggested the best measures at present open, but it adds that Canada's changed policy greatly affects the circumstances under which they were framed. It asserts that the Empire must ultimately choose between separate policies and separate fleets, or one policy and a single fleet. It has always cordially approved of Australia's present form of assistance as the onlypolicy at present open. An immediate measure of advice over subscription must not induce the belief that security is thus permanently guaranteed by measures of that kind. A single policy cannot be reconciled with divided fleets, which cannot be galvanised at the touch of war into corporate life. We cannot have three or four navies in peace time and one in war time. Naval history has shown the disasters that have happened to allied fleets. The memorandum of 1011 was a statesmanlike solution of many immediate problems, but it did not deal with the problem as a whole. Mr. Borden's visit opened many eyes to features previously not apparent and likely to lead to practical steps towards ideal of one-policy-one-fleet, without prejudice to the constitutional rights embodied in the principal of local navies under separate control. The Daily News says that a single Imperial fleet, under single control, has no chance of acceptance in the Dominions. The moral of the Imperial Conference of Imperial federation has lost whatever influence it had in the Dominions. Those in the Motherland who are faithful to the federation idea, imagine- that the naval defence question can be discussed in a day of panic and international hatred. They would be unable to do what was impossible in an atmosphere of calm reason. Sir W. Laurier spoke for Australia and soutli Africa equally when attacking the federationists' idea of an Imperial organic union. The Chronicle sayg that there can be no question of drawing the Dominions against, their wills. Nothing can be said in favor of a rigid scheme of defence, fixed on regardless of local conditions and desires, but the Dominions see that Britain will be forced more and more to concentrate her existing navy. It is obvious that the protection of trade routes would be much more effective if the whole Empire particimted. The Dominions' impulse to sha/e the burden sets the foundation of the scheme. The Empier's statesmen's task is to determine the nature of the superstructure. The plan of defence must be co-operation, and the. methods adopted in various parts must link up to form a smoothly-work-ing whole.