OUR BATTLESHIP

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 76, 19 August 1914, Page 4

OUR BATTLESHIP

The message from Captain Halsey and «'■ ''leu- of (he battleship New ZcalaH to the ellect that they can l.e relied m . on to uphold the honor of the Dominion of Yew Zealand, serves to remind one <>l the prescience and sagacity of tile statesman responsible for its gift. \ o w that political party lines have been ob-

literated, and when everyone is loyally and enthusiastically helping the Government and the nation to meet the great emergency that has arisen, we can view dispassionately and in true perspective the action of Sir Joseph Ward in going to the assistance of the Old Country at the time he did. It was a hold and unprecedented thing for any man to have done was the giving of a battleship on bebalf of a people the sanction of whose representatives .had still to be obtained, for it meant staking, the political existence of himself and his Government upon the result. The gift was duly authorised, but there can he little doubt that Sir Joseph Ward's action and the consequent conferring upon him of a baronetcy, had a lot to do with the'downfall of the Liberal Party at the elections. But in the light of subsequent affairs and the present grave crisis, who is there that will say that Sir Joseph Ward's action and the whole of his naval policy was not. justified? There the battleship is, 'waiting with' the other units of Britain's great fleet to engage in the supreme trial of strength which is to decide whether Britain is to continue to rule the waves—and incidentally colonies like ours—or the tiermanjS. Who in the Dominion wonM at this great crisis have that battleship elsewhere? For aught we know, that one extra battleship may be the deciding factor in the deadly struggle that may at any time take place. Tne I Canadians, lired by the same spirit of 'jiatriotism and jegard for the safety ot the Empire, also offered to provide three battleships for Britain, but the olfer was nullified by the antagonism!of a shortsighted Upper House. Now that the Empire is in peril, the Canadians are bitterly upbraiding these legislators for failing to give effect to their wishes. Jt is too late now to Tepair their cardinal mistake. Had the programme been carried out, three extra British battleships would be doing service at this moment in the North Sea. It is well to remember the great service that was rendered the Empire at a critical time by Sir Joseph Ward and the example be, set to the rest of the dominions. Whatever his shortcomings, he stands out as a farseeing Imperialist and statesman, who saw the need for giving help to the Navy and was 'bold enough and strong enough to offer it and oarry the scheme through successfully, though incurring considerable odium and suffering a political setj'baek in conse.quence. Events, as we say, have proved Sir Joseph to have been right, and the true patriot, who puts the interests of his country and Empire before party, will, we are sure, not withhold credit from him for the part he played at a critical time in the affairs of the Empire.