COLONIAL DEFENCES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1036, 30 March 1882, Page 2

COLONIAL DEFENCES.

With regard to the above subject the ! Press aays that tho Victorian Government, -,. have taken the matter up in earnest, and; /.jj have resolved to place the colony inV'""" proper state of defence. In addition to the navy they alreadypoasess, they have, I it is .said, determined to purchase two vessels of the class known as the AlphaBeta gun-boats.. Vessels of this class are' 1 - ™>- very expensive, and Are safe sea-going war ships, capable of engaging in a naval contest with vessels of the class likely' to reach the antipodes, the aim ot tho .Vic- ■ torian Government apparently' being" to lake measures for the pro'ection^ofjn^err,,-,.;.;, colonial commerce, and also to protect the outlying ports of their own colony. ---ni Whether it is wiae ; to aim at so much .is. J an open question. But at leaßt it is evident that Sir Bryan, O'Loghlon and .ftuv colleagues aro determined to 'save ibm colony which , they govern frbnV, cessfurinvasion. They are not. only establishing au J Artillery Corps,r ordering guns, ■ but, as we have .-.geei), thoy will soon be in posseMohlgM of a navy of no mean order. "■ neighbors aie. thus 'active, w.e . help again asking what our are doingin the matter of harbor If no active steps are taken between and tho meeting of' Parliament; at least that some' attempt will made to protect our principal ports. may not be able, like Viotoria, to and maintain a navy but we. surely afford to tako means to protect Wellington, Lyttelton, aiid a sudden surprise.". '' ; ' i^l^l