EMPIRE DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9581, 30 August 1909, Page 5

EMPIRE DEFENCE.

DECISIONS OF IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. QUES'IION OF CONTRIBUTIONS. A "NATIONAL ASSET." United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright. LONDON, August 27. Britain will contribute a quarter of a million annually to the Commonwealth fleet. It is expected that the Commonwealth will raise a naval loan requiring half a million annually for interest and sinking fund. If New Zealand floats a loan it will require £150,000 annually to pay interest and sinking fund, besides the £IOO,OOO i aval subsidy as heretofore. The "Pall Mail Gazette" heartily congratulates the Imperial Defence Conference upon the splendid outcome of its labours. The new scheme, it declares, is a national Imperial asset of immense value. "With, this programme the most despondent among us need not despair of the future of the British Empire. rT The "Daily News" doubts the utility of scattered forces. If the Empire be in peril, it says, the struggle will be primarily [for command of the North Sea and the English Channel, and fleets concentrated in the Pacific will be of no service for that task, It is equally difficult to understand how small vessels located in a New Zealand port could form part of the China Squadron. "The Times" says that public opinion will do justice to the wisdom, 1 tact and foresight with which the Admiralty and War Office approached their difficult and complex task. The results of the conference marked a definite advance in the organisation of Empire defene. The proposal to create a Pacific Squadron is particularly welcomed by "The Times. "-The projected arrangements, the paper declares, besides being suitable for present conditions, are capable of logical and systematic expansion, in accordance with that ideal of free co-operation be-, tween kindred nations owing allegiance to one Crown, which all the mental and moral strength or Imperial statesmanship ia now set to realise. The proposals mark tne opening of a new period in Imperial history. Regarding Canada, Mr Asquith said in his speech in the House of Commons that it was proposed, according to the sum available, that a start be made with the Bristol type of cruisers and destroyers of the improted river class. Part of the fleet would be stationed on the Atlantic seaboard, and part on the Pacific. In- accordance with previous arrangements, the Premier said Canada had to undertake the maintenance of dockyards at Halifax and Esquimalt; and it was part of the arrangement proposed with the Australian representatives that the Commonwealth should eventually undertake the maintenance of a dockyard at Sydney. Mr Asquith added, amid cheers, that he hoped all the material documents relating to the conference would be laid before Parliament before the er.d of the session.

FOREIGN PRESS COMMENTS.. "A SYMPTOM OF EXHAUSTION. PARADING BRITAIN'S POWER. Received August 29, 5.5. p.m. BERLIN, August 28. The newspaper "berliner Tageblatt," commenting on Mr Asquith's defence statement, predicts that the debates in the overseas Parliaments regarding the defence proposals will be of an excited length and objections will be raised against the new programme. The paper denies that there is any cause for particular anxiety in Germany regarding the reorganisation of British Imperial defences. The "Berliner Tageblatt" adds: "Britain's turnig to the colonies for assistance is a symptom ot exhaustion. The newspaper "I.okal-Anzeiger" ! interprets Mr Asquith*s reference to ! the approaching co-operation between the Dominions and the Motherland as an intention to parade Britain's power before the eyes of foreign countries.