THE AUSTRALIAN SQUADRON.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2763, 15 January 1895, Page 4

THE AUSTRALIAN SQUADRON.

Sydney, Jan. 10. Admiral Cyprian Bridge, iu the course of an interview, touched upon the subject of the latest theories in gunnery, and said a great revolution had come about against the use of very heavy guns on board ships. Nothing had happened iu the Chinese-Japanese war for which they were not quite prepared, except perhaps the ease with which many ships took Are. No doubt, be said, a few ships may blow up or be burnt, but there is no reason to anticipate the total destruction which has been prophesied. The Australian auxiliary squadron, which would assist to safeguard the Australian seaborne commerce in time of war, was a cheap insurance, for Australia contributed only about £136,000 per annum, whereas, judging by the Blue Books, the Chilian, Brazilian, Argentine, or Creek navies, which were not much larger, cost £1,000,000 per annum. If Australia severed her connection with Great Britain in order /to avoid consequences when Great Britain was at war, her position iroqld »ot be improved, for in war time the provisions pf international maritime law were practically a dead letter, and cargo from neutral Australia would not be respected by foreign countries, whether it be declared contraband of war or not. The Australasian colonies under any set of circumstances depend for their wealth entirely upon the unobstructed transport of goods by sea, and therefore they were closely interested in the maintenance of an efficient fleet iu their waters. January IX.

Admiral Bowden-Smith in the course of an interview said that no station was better supplied with coal and docking accommodation than the Australian station, first class docks being situated iu Syduey, Melbourne, and Auckland, with docks of smaller size at Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. He considered that the Australian squadron in its present strength was quite sufficient for any emergency. Cruisers of the Tauranga class were excellent vessels, but rather small for keeping at sea iu all weathers. On this station he still found it very useful to have a certain number of masted vessels to carry on work among the South Sea Islands, not only because sail power enables thorn while on a cruise to economise coal consumption, but because that class of ship is found more pomfortab'e and cooler than the modern stool cruiser. With reference to the defence of ports he said that the matter was of the greatest importance. Sydney, he thought, as the headquarters of the squadron, should be absolutely safe from attack, though if meaus could bo found for adding some first-class torpedo boats, the knowledge that such boats existed would be a source of auxiety to vessels threatening the port. Sydney, to his mind, was peculiarly adapted for a torpedo defence, which could be easily manned by the local naval brigade. From a naval point of yipy it would be an excellent thing if Fiji was connected with Australia by means of the Pacific cable. Iu concluding his remarks tfea Admiral paid a high tribute to the kindness of the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand in carrying letters and intelligence which nad been of great use to the vessels under his command.

* 5 THE AUSTRALIAN BANKS. . Melbourne, Jan. 12. The Age commenting on the bank consolidation scheme says that the time is ripe for some action to provide against the possibility of difficulties arising when the deposit receipts issued by the reconstructed banks begin to mature. That State assistance should be claimed to restore general confidence in future, and that without its intervention little improvement is possible, it says, can hardly be regarded as a novel expedient, as instances might be mentioned where such interference was not only permissible but recognised as an element of strength and a background to be relied upon in cases of urgent necessity. The Age continues, “ We are confronted with the fact that between the years 1897 and 1901 the Australian reconstructed banks will have to meet a demand for the payment of deposit receipts to an extent of £44,000,000 and this is a certainty which no amount of specious argument can get rid of. It is also equally certain that the colonies are not likely to be prepared to meet such an enormous demand when it occurs. If new deposits could be expected to replace the withdrawals of the old then there would be no' difficulty. The comments of the London financial journals show clearly that such a happy solution of the difficulty is hardly likely to occur. They would, however, have two or three years’ breathing time, and surely something would suggest itself during that time which would provide against troubles in the future.” :