THE Wairarapa Age TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1909. CANADA AND THE NAVY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3095, 19 January 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1909. CANADA AND THE NAVY.

A distinguished English writer, who recently visited Canada and came into contact with-all classes of the community, declared that he only met one man in the Dominion who favoured a contribution to the British navy. This statement is correct so far as any rash contribution from the Canadian-Exchequer to the maintenance of the British navy is concerned. If, however, it implies that Canadians are apathetic on naval matters, then the writer creates a wrong impression of the state of public feeling in that country. Irrespective altogether of the effect which Lord Roberts' recent speech may have on the Home authorities, it may safely be asserted that nothing for many years has so impressed Canadians with the necessity of action to protect their own coasts. The Toronto "Mail and Empire," discussing the question, says that if Lord Roberts' speech is to be tak»n as a warning to the British Empire, then Eig-

land's navy has its work cut out in the North Sea and British Channel. The Admiralty Iras already decided to concentrate the entire fleet within Marconi reach of the British coast. This strategic move, taken with the rapid increase in naval armaments, ehowo what England herself thinks of the situation. ' It England, in a better position to see behind the scenes than Canada, deems it neces- j sary to get ready, what now should Canada do as one of the great units of the Empire? The quo3tion may be asked, "What means cf defenca dues Canada now possess?" The answer is "None." Canada has an effective land torce, but what she needa is another arm of defence, namely, a naval militia. After'what Australia has done for coast defence, the ".vaii and Empire" concludes: "Canada might well take a million from its output for the militia, and procure four cruisers for the Atlantic. We should then have some means of defence for ouz coastal and river fronts, whereas now we have none." To stimulate interest on this question, the Navy League of Canada offers a prize of £BO for the best essay on the subject, "Shall Canada Have a Navy of Her Own?"