The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-11-26
FOR COLONIAL
NAVAL UNIT
Australians Planning Details for
Their Help for the Mother
Country.

L0NDON.-Col. J. F. G. Foxton, the
delegate of the commonwealth govern
ment at tue imperial defense confer.
ence, has been actively engaged in set
Ting various details with the admiralty
in connection with the scheme. and
referring to the matter he said to
Reuters representative: Nothing can,
of course, be done, until the necessary
legislative authority has been received.
The commonwealth government has
been appraised Geographically of every
stage of my negotiations here, and the
bill dealing with the naval side of
Australian defense Will be introduced
into the commonwealth parliament i'm
mediately on receipt in Melbourne of
my detailed dispatches. These may be
expected to arrive in week or so.
1.-The legislative proposals on Aus
tralian military defense, which have
just been introduced, largely follow the
lines advocated by myself. A great
point is the retention of the existing
militia until something tangible has
| been put together to take its place.
| 1t is in my opinion a very wise provi-
sion to exempt from service the in
habitants of sparsely populated dis
tricts, for there are many instances in
which, owing to distance, the period
set aside for training would be almost
wholly occupied in travelling. The bill
provides for what is practically COM
pulsory training up to manhood. This
is strong measure, but it is one on
| which all political parties in Australia
are agreed in general principle. There
| is no reason to doubt that this meas
ure will be welcomed generally, for the
public think we have a possible danger
in the future.
As regards naval defense, it is pro-
posed that we shall commence at once
the building of the larger vessels of
| the Australian unit, as these would
take two to two and a half years to
complete. The other ships will be pro-
ceeded with OF dates which will make
their completion synchronize with that
of the larger vessels. Thus, by June,
1912. or, at all events, the end of that
year, the present Australian squadron
will be relieved and replaced by the
Australian fleet unit-which is the of
fetal name for the Australian navy.
The whole scheme for naval defense in
the Pacific comprises three feet units
the Australian unit, the China unit
and the East Indies unit-each being
of the same strength, as follows:
some armored cruiser of the Indom-
liable class, three armored cruisers of
the Bristol class, and six destroyers,
with the necessary complement of sub
marines.
''All the property of the admiralty
in Australia, such as the dockyard at
Sydney, will pass into the possession OF
sumed that Sydney will be the base fol
the Australian unit. Our fleet remains
absolutely and entirely under the con.
troll of the commonwealth government
except in time of war, and until it is
offered to the imperial government fol
service.
Gas to the cost of the Australian
unit, the commonwealth government it
self defrays all expenses of building
and equipping our ships, the annua
cost of which, including interest OF
sinking fund, is estimated at $3.50,
900. The difference between $2,5O0,O0(
and the estimated annual cost is to be
pald as SUBSIDY ny the imperial gov
eminent to the commonwealth unit
the latter is in a position to assume
the whole burden. This will be a cleaI
saving to the imperial government OF
at least $1,500,000 or $2,O0O,00O an
nually.
"Until we are able to provide on
officers and men we shall borrow then
from the imperial navy and pay Aus
tralian. rates of pay. / am informe,
that the applications for service will
meet the demand. AS regards officer
, and men, our ultimate purpose is t,
have our own people. For this pur
pose we shall establish training col
3 leges and probably by the end of tel
9 years we shall have an efficient servic
, of trained Australians
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