IMPERIAL DEFENCES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1739, 19 May 1888, Page 1

IMPERIAL DEFENCES.

London, May 15.

A meeting of merchants and bunkers has been held to consider the national defences. Lord Charles Beresford, Sir George Elliot, Captain Colorab, and Messrs W. H. Hornby and Thos. Mayne, M.P.’s, were present. Those present expressed pleasure at the country awakening as to the inadequacy of the and said invasion at the present tinui would result in a loss to the whole Empire. In the House of Lords, yesterday, Lord Wokeley complained that the attack made upon him by the Marquis of Salisbury was unwarranted, and he disowned any connection with the article which appeared in the Daily Telegraph. Referring to the after dinner speech, he denied that he had attacked the Government, and explained that he could not have charged the Government with negligence as they had done much to improve the defences of the country. He reiterated that the army and navy wore weak, and that the defences, both at homo »nd abroad, weie defective a M unsmisf-.ciory »s to lequivemenls. The organisation •-.1-o was bad. The Marquis of Salisbury, aocopuug ;.n>rd WolsoKy’u disavowal, said thar the | r >- test lie had entered wm jueidi u, -eul t.e hoped that in future charges of such a nature would be made in uiiiei'K.

May 16

Lieut.-General Sir Andrew Clark, C. 8., formerly Inspector-General of Fortifications, deprecates the panic which has arisen over the defence system. He maintains that the defences are now strong'T than they have been for years. Sir Andrew warmly eulogia d the efforts of the colonies to secure the defence of the Empire, and urges the completion of the defenses of all coaling stations which are already well in hand, aud insists that they should be immediately garrisoned and kept in readiness for war. Sir Charles Dilke in a magazine article contends tliaf the real danger to be feared is that Russia and France may attack England, and states that both powers are building an enormous number of fad cruisers, which, should th ey in the event of war operate against England, would cripple the trade of the country. ■The House of.Commons.;has agreed to a vote of £850,000 being placed 'on the Navy Estimates for the auxiliary squadron. The ships are to he completed in March, 1890. They will be an improvement on the Archer type, and will bo longer, heavier, faster, and better armed than the Colonial Conference expected.

Replying to Mr Labouchere in the Corn mons, Lord Charles Beresford said everyone in the Soudan felt grateful 10 Australia for the assistance rendered to the Government by the New South Wa'es Soudan Contingent. Later.

In the House of Commons, Mr Smith introduced the Imperial defence resolutions. Iq doing this ho stated that the co'onies rocogu’sod that they must assist to protect their own imerusla. Ho submitted that the annual clv.rge for tire defence of mercantile ports and cod:tig stations was deficient.

Mr Laboochore objected to the expenditure of any money upon the colou’es, and thought that Australia shou'd pay for h'r owa defence and contribute towards the cost of the chief diplomatic service. Mr Goschen defended Australia, and said that the money expended on colonial defence was simp y advanced to the co'onies, He explained that the Imperial Government was forced to protect Australian commerce, as most of the vessela used in cairyiug goods there were owned in England.

Lord George Hamilton stated that arrangement* had been come to by which it was agreed that the coat of colonial defence should bo defrayed equally by England and Australia.

The resolutions were carried by 85 to 37, and the debate adjourned. May 17.

Lord Randolph Churchill, speaking at Preston, denounced the incredible waste and extravagance of the Admiralty and the War Office, where a faml chaos would ie ! gn in the event of war breaking out. The warships and fortresses were without guns, the rifle' 1 of the infantry were obsolete, and there was no reserve material on hand.