COLONIAL DEFENCE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1692, 31 January 1888, Page 4

COLONIAL DEFENCE.

London January 26,

Lord Brassej, in an address to the London and Provincial Chambers of Commerce, said that additional Imperial officers were required to train the defence forces of the colonies, end that the services of an eminent officer to act as Inspector of Forces would much enhance the efficiency of the colonial defence system. He advocated the desirableness of the Admiralty handing over to various colonies such war vessels as were from time to lime discarded for active service, for purposes of training and harbor defence, instancing the case of H.M.S. Wolverine being handed over to' New South Wales a year or two vgo. The'Duke of Cambridge, Commander-ia-Chief warmly endorsed Lord Brassey’s views oc the subject of colonial defence, and applauded the wisdom of many of his suggestions. He laid it down as a military axiom that the only .way to avoid war was to bo thoroughly prepared to meet an enemy on an efficient defence system by tbe whole empire, and the thorough defence of all coaling stations was necessary to enable the Imperial navy to maintain control of the seaways and afford protection to British commerce on a long ocean route. Lord Charles Beresford, agreed with the views put forward by the previous speakers.