The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-10
BRITISH PLANS For THE DE.
FENCE or THE EMPIRE.


FENCE OF THE EMPIRE.
Although the British Imperial Govern
ment has accepted with due cordially
the offer OF q Dreadnought made by the
new Deakin Ministry in behalf OF the
Commonwealth OF Australia, 1t Ia not i'm
probable that the gift and the acceptance
may. turn out to be representative rather
than actual. This particular Dread
nought may never be built, and the Incl
dent may 60 down into history simply
az Australia's profession Of responsible
ity for a share In tho empires defence.
IN obligation which England at last seems
to be determined 10 impose on her outly-
ing dominions.
That the preferred Dreadnought is
likely to prove q mere hguradve ship 10
to be inferred from the course Of discus
sion in London on the subject Of imperial
defence. The sort OF assistance that
England 10 calculating on In her long fu-
tlre struggle TO keep her place in the front
rank OF Powers 10 OF far different compass
OF . battleship would afford. England
10 looking for continuous and systema dc
help on q scale commensurate with tho
wealth and population Of the empire
a Q whole. With all the OF
the mother country and tho great col
on!ss organised as = vast machine for
whatever emergency might arise. she
feels her position would DO ~impregna-
bic: rather. It would appear. she feels
that no ono would venture to attack her.
Her organisation OF her entire power
would be to her an absolute guarantee
Of peace.
The kind OF support that England is
looking for was described With equal
thoroushness and brevity by Admiral
Lord Charles Beresford in his speech
at the Australasian banquet in London,
when he said: Our great dominions could
best help us. not by spending two mill
ions pounds sterling. OF ~coursel on
b ttlsships to serve in British waters,
but by making proposals for defending
themselves.' This 10 evidently the d.
reoton which Canadian projects OF arma-
ment are taking. and 1t ~ hardly be
oils Of wa which are to be held in Lon
don during the summer tho minds OF
other colonial statesmen will be sedulously
stecred in the same direction.
Amplfying the idea Of Lord Charles
Beresford. the London Tirnes's military
expert suggests by way Of outline sketch
for a system Of imperial defence
that Canada may eventually provide the
squadron OF ships for the North Amer
loan and West Indian stations and may
garrison Bermuda and Jamaica as well
a. her own seaports. Australasia would
In that case be expected to provide the
Eastern feet and take charge OF the garri-
sons Of Hongkong and Singapore as well
as protecting the coasts Of Australia.
Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand.
South Africa would then naturally organ
lie q Cape OF Good Hope squadron and
would occupy St. Helena and Sierra Leone
as important strategic outposts. A squad
ron built with Indian money and manned
TO some extent by India would patrol
the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the
Persian Gulf. Indian troops exclusively
being used to garrison the strong places
on these coasts.
This would leave England free to match
with her W fleets any naval forces that
any combination OF European Powers
might array against her. British COM
merce. which Of course includes that Of her
outlying possessions, would be safe on all
the seas OF the world. and England would
be able TO devote her energies to the de-
fence Of the British islands themselves,
the key to the whole imperial system
not only from the military point Of view
but commercially. and 50 just as vital
to the colonies 10 their own immediate
safety. Besides enhancing the naval
power OF the British imperial feet, an
organization OF this description would
also go far to solve the problem OF army
development 1t would at least leave
almost the entire force that can be raised
in the British islands available for opera
tons in Europe. whether in protecting the
British islands themselves against inva-
sion or as an expeditionary force on the
Continent. presumably in alliance with
the forces Of some other Power.
or course 1t is understood that mont OF
the colonies could assume the RESPONSE
bilities suggested on a sudden call. Years
OF development are required, but. on the
otflC ~ SAo oAt 30 aAos tlCAS ~
still q few years Of grace before the final
struggle for life or deal tn as great empire
il forced on the nation. These years.
England now feels with a deep and grow
ing conviction. must be used to the best
advantage. One thing is felt to be enor-
mously in favor Of the plan. There is
unlimited opportunity for the expansion
Of financial expenditure by the colonies
for the purpose Of defence. 1t was shown
at the time OF the conference OF 1907 that
whereas the home country was normally
expanding 20 shillinss 3 pence (about
s7.sl) a head for the population Of Great
Britain and Ireland, for purposes of de-
fence, the expenditure FOR this purpose
ranged from , shillings go cents) to S
shillines 2A pence Isl. 40 in the oversee
dominions.
4 Sad Bear.
To TER EprroR OF TIL SuN-Stv The COM
-.atG,, l. ravtatnf,y To ha "A shAs ~