EMPIRE NAVY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10650, 5 June 1912, Page 5

EMPIRE NAVY

GABLE_NEWO (United Tress Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

IMPERIAL CROSS-CURRENTS

NEWSPAPER OPINION. (Received Last Night, 9 o'clock.) LONDON, June J. The Pall Mall Gazette, in an article entitled, "Imperial Cross-currents," says dt rests with the .statesmen; of il e i Motherland to find a common denominator to enable tine divergent overseas aspirations to be utilised for i,he common good. Mr Fisher had stated his position with admiral precision, which was not less worthy of commendation than Canada's and New Zealand's desire to have ships where the danger was nearest. There are. weaknesses in both. The position' of Canada and New Zealand does not satisfy the aspirations of the spirit of nationalty within the Empire. It leads laway from the ultimate hope of an Empire Navy, built and manned 'by the several states proportionately o heir resources. The Australians' position avoids this disadvantage, but avoids it by a sacrifice of strategical principles and effectiveness. The retention of New Zealand's Dreadonught sins against the principle of Mr Winston Churchill's Imperial patrol. Australia should recognise that, ibe giving up of the cruiser Australia to the patrol does not mean a split in the Fleet, but makes use of the material their patriotism has provided. There must, says the Gazette, be one guiding •brain, and than 'brain, for the present, can only be the Admiralty.