EMPIRE DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9579, 28 August 1909, Page 5

EMPIRE DEFENCE.

RECENT IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

IMPORTANT SPEECH BY MR ASQUITH. United Press Association -By Electric Telegraph Copyright Received August 26. 11.10 p.m. LONDON. August 26. In the House of Commons Mr H. H. Asquith (Prime Minister), in reply to Mr W H. Long, made a statement regarding the Defence Conference, which was listened to with intense interest. Recalling the fact that the Conference had been convened to discuss the general question of naval and military defence, us decisions as far ss the delegates of the Dominions were concerned were, said Mr Asquith, subject to the approval of the various Parliaments. The South African delegates did not consider themselves in a position to submit positive proposals until the Union had become an accomplished fact. After the main conference a foreign offensive military conference was held at the War Office, and led to an agreement, the fundamental principles of which were embodied in the papers prepared by the general staff for consideration. The substance of these papers, which would be included among the papers published, was a recommendation that without implying that each Dominion should have complete control over the military forces raised within it, the forces should oe standardised.

Mr Asquith,'continuing his speech, said that thus whila the troops cf the various Dominions would in each case be raised tor the defence of the Dominion concerned it had been made readily practicable in case of need that the Dominion could mobilise and use them for the defence the Einpire as a whole. The military conference entrusted a suo-conference of experts from the headquarters and Dominions, presided over by Sir W. Nicholson, acting for the first time as chief of the Imperial General Staff, with the duty of working out the detailed application of these principles. The creatnn early in 1909 :f an Imperial General Staff was thus brought into active working. It was the result of the conference held in 1907. The subconference reached complete agreement, their conclusions being finally approved by the main conference, and the committee of Imperial defence. The result is a plan of so organising the forces of the Crown wherever they are. that while preserving for each of the Dominions complete autonomy, should the Dominions desire to assist in the defence of the Empire in the case of real emergency, their forces can be readily combined into one homogeneous Imperial army.

Dealing with naval defence Mr Asquith said that the Admiralty's memorandum which had been submitted to the Dominion's representatives formed the basis of the preliminary conference. The alternative methods which might be adopted by the Dominion Governments in cooperation with the Imperial naval defence were discussed. New Zealand preferred to adhere to the present policy of a contribution to he British Navy. Canada and Australia preferred to lay the foundation of their own fleets. It was recognised that in building a fleet a number of conditions should be conformed to. The fleet must be of a certain size in order to offer a permanent career to those engaged in the service. The personnel should be trained in discipline under regulations similar to the Royal Navy, in crder to allow of interchange and union between the British and Dominions' services, and with the same object in view the standard of vessels and armaments should be uniform.

REMODELLING FAR EAST SQUADRONS.

Received Auguat 27, 11.55 p.m. 1 LONDON, August 27. Mr Asquith, continuing his remarks, said that the remodelling of the squadrons in the Far East was considered on the basis of establishing a Pacific Fleet consisting uf three units in the East Indies, Australia and China seas, each comprising with some variations one Indomitable, three cruisers of the Bristol type, six destroyers of the Rever class, and three C submarines. The generous offers, first of New Zealand, and then of the Commonwealth to contribute to the Imperial tiefence, each giving a battleship, had been accepted with a substitution of Indomitables fcr battleships. These two ships* are to be maintained, one on the China and one on the Australian station. A separate meeting was held at the Admiralty with representatives of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the general statements agreed upon in each case were referred for further consideration to the respective j Governments. Regarding Australia thfc suggested arrangemen is, with some temporary assistance from the Imperial funds that the Commonwealth provide and maintain an Australian unit in the Pacific Fleet. New Zealand's contribution would be applied towards the maintenance of the China unit, whereof some of the staaller vessels would have New Zealand as their headquarters. New Zealand's armoured cruiser would stationed in the China se