The Daily News. MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1912. THE NAVAL POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 167, 2 December 1912, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1912. THE NAVAL POLICY.

The naval discussion that is proceeding at Home is a trifle academic at times, (judged by the necessarily condensed cablegrams which are our only newspaper fare until such time as the mails arrive. But these same messages at least give us a general idea of the public feeling. We are quite at one with the Daily Telegraph when it declares that the suggestion to reduce the British shipbuilding in proportion to the aid given by the dominions would be so dishonorable and so fraught with danger to the future co-operation of the British peoples in naval defence as to condemn its supporters as traitors in the eyes of the Empire. Whatever the difference in the modern methods of the dominions and dependencies, whether it be a presentation of a Dreadnought, the building of a local fleet, or the increase of direct naval subsidies to the Imperial Government—it was never intended that these extra efforts should be met by a corresponding decrease in British enterprise. Our naval supremacy must be maintained at all hazards, and it can best be maintained by a strict adherence to the two-Power standard. What help v.-e can give in that direction we are all prepared to give, and the matter resolves itself into one of the form of assistance. Hitherto it has been generally understood that the line of policy chosen by New Zealand suited the purpose of .the British authorities better than the local navy plan adopted by Australia. The doctrine that to be a thoroughly effective weapon the ,iavy which guards the ] Empire must be one homogeneous fleet, directed and controlled from an Imperial centre, is still stoutly upheld at Home, and the arguments in its favor are invincible. It is difficult to understand how the Australian navy, for example,

could be utilised effectively for the highest Imperial reeds if at the same time the necessities of local defence were regarded as of paramount importance in Australia. From the colonial standpoint, also, the heavy expense of building and maintaining an efficient navy, however small, is a serious objection to this policy. But if we rightly interpret the remarks made by Admiral KingHall in a speech at Auckland last week, the naval authorities at Home are much more favorably disposed towards the local navy policy than tliev were on the occasion of the last Imperial Conference on naval matters. One reason for this modification is probably that the subsidies offered by even the most generous of the Empire's dependencies fall far short of her needs, and the natural desire of the people of the dominions oversea to make heavier sacrifies in the cause of local defence than they would be prepared to impose upon themselves by way of contribution to an Imperial naval fund, constitute a short cut to the required efficiency that would be singularly useful at the moment. Referring to the local aspect, we cannot agree with Admiral King-Hall's suggestion for the establishment of a Royal Australasian navy. A naval alliance between Australia and New Zealand, and the creatior. of a joint local fleet, seems to us to be open to precisely the same objections as are urged against our joining in as a State of the Commonwealth. If New Zealand joined the Federation nothing could prevent us being dragged at the heels of Australia, and nothing would enable us to secure adequate representaion for our views and interests in the Federal Councils against the overwhelming weight of the Australian States. The same argument applies precisely to- the suggestion for a joint Australasian navy. Admiral Hall-liing is, we are sure, unduly optimistic when ho says that "nothing but a little tact and statesmanship" is necessary to overcome the difficulties in the way. An Australasian navy wotrid be at best a mere policing fleet, and Australia would claim" all the inspectors and sergeants and leave us to find simply a few common or garden policemen. "We want the ships, we want the men, we want the money, too," and under existing circumstances it seems to us .that we can best help by providing a portion of the money, and training a number of the men, leaving to the old Mother the work of attending to the ships.