The Daily News. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1914. THE "NEW ZEALAND'S" BAPTISM OF FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 82, 1 September 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1914. THE "NEW ZEALAND'S" BAPTISM OF FIRE.

That New Zealand's gift battleship '■ should have been chosen to take part in the first naval engagement between the British fleet and the German must be a source of great gratification to every resident of the Dominion. It may fairly be assumed that the Admiralty deliberately included H.M.S. New Zealand in the attacking force, intending thereby to once more show their appreciation of the Dominion's jenerous and timely action in presenting the battleship to the Imperial Government, and •we may well feel proud of rendering valuable assistance to 1 the Empire. Apart from the object-lesson afforded by this gift to the other Dominions, it no doubt had j a moral force on the Great (Powers, for \ it indicated in no uncertain way the i bond of unity that exists between the Motherland and the oversea Dominions. Moreover, events have proved that it is j a complete justification of the policy of J the Admiralty at the time the gift was | made, besides being a testimony to Sir Joseph Ward's wisdom in strengthening the Imperial Navy instead of forming the nucleus of a local fleet. There is yet another aspect of the question which intrudes itself in this connection, name- I ly, the justification of the policy of strengthening the fleet in Home waters. It will be remembered that there were not wanting Jeremiads who ceaselessly reiterated the doleful wail that the Pacific was being left defenceless and that the New Zealand should be stationed in the proximity of the Dominion's shores —tho convenient "Yellow Peril" bogey being trotted out as a scaremonger. The prophets of woe must now feel very small, for it is only reasonable to assume that they are now convinced of their petty parochialism and rejoice just as heartily as the Imperialist over the success of New Zealand's battleship and that of her consorts. If anything wele necessary to drive home the wisdom of our policy, it is the cabled news from Canada, where the papers are full of warm praise for the part the New Zealand took in tho North Sea battle, and it is significant that the Conservative (Government) papers point out how dearly every Canadian would like to be able to place to the country's record the fact that Canadian ships had participated in such a heroic deed a3 Admiral Beatty's raid near Heligoland, Now that the Canadian legislators have come to their senses over the naval question and had such a pointed lesson as to the right course to adopt, ther.; should be no more quibbling over this vital question, and Canada may be expected to do her full share in helping the Motherland with gifts of ships, just as she lias come forward with offers of . a vast force of men. The Navy is England's pride and the Dominions' safeguard, so that it is excusable to experience a thrill of real patriotic pride at r the important part played by our battle- . ship in the victory obtained over the enemy whose naval programme was intended to assist in the crushing process wherewitli Germany 'hoped to overcome and dominate the rest of Europe. On land, the comparatively small State of Belgium has won immortal renown by the bravery and heroism of her soldiers, and at sea the battleship of the small Dominion of New Zealand—

with only about one million of inhabitants—has helped to win an important victory over a nation o" 65 million people. It is a comforting thought that the mastery of the sea is safe in Britain's hands, and the Dominions may well rejoice in the maintenance of that supremacy.