DEFENCE OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2064, 16 December 1907, Page 2

DEFENCE OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

STATEMENT BY MB. IDEAK-IN. NEW SCHEME PJtOPOSED. United Press Association —Copyright MELBOURNE, Dec. 14. Mr. Deakin made his long-promised statement on the defence policy. The ; host results, he said, ire re to ho obtained from a citizen army. He had submitted to the Imperial Government a. proposal to substitute for tlie present Commonwealth subsidy an offer of 1000 Australian seamen, paid by the Commonwealth, for service in tlie navy on this station, at an estimated cost of £IOO,OOO annually. The remainder of the .present subsidy would be applied by the Commonwealth to submorsibles or destroyers, or similar local defence, as suggested at the 'London Conference. Two cruisers of the “P” class, or superior, manned by 400 of the 1000 Australians, are to bo retained on the Australian coast in peace or war, and tliare is to ibo a loan of tiwo “1* cvxxtsors, or superior, to bo maintained by the Commonwealth for training local naval militia, at am estimated cost to the Common wealth of £60,000 per annum. This proposed amendment is in addition' to the Commonwealth vote this year of a quarter of a mUTion for naval, harbor, and coast defence and £50,000 for fortifications of harbors. Of these four cruisers ho proposed that two should be malined .by 500 of tlie forco of 1000 Australians. and that the other tuo should bo manned by nav;d i.i : This arrangement, ho felt, uOlllu 111 up a gap until such time as the Ccni.moiiweaitll had ships of its own. fcueh a policy would develop a. nai al spi-lt iir Australia, and would relieve the Imperial navy of the cost °f n j aln ' tenance. The seamen would bea contribution to the scheme of h nip re defence, which they ought to be pio u. to Tlie Admiralty replied that tlie naval agreement should be first cancelled beforo consideration was t the new scheme, of which more detaMr"©eaim U said‘ho believed tlio scheme outlined woiild ultimately commend itself to the Navy, in tlie complete scheme there would bo too Submarines each tor New South Wales, Victoria,, and Queensland, one each for South Australia- M estern Australia, and Tasmania. The total annual outlay, when complete, rnould cost £312,000. The .Government would tevote £50,000 each year till the work was finished. The necessary .num, lie had been advised, could be huilt ill Australia, Numerically their military forces were absurdly v eak, probably not half of the 22,000 men an the rolls could be depended oil for use as efficient at the present moment, There was about one mam m 112 with any training. Tlie Government recognised they must greatly ■nlianee the forces, and -would propose a system of universal national training, in- order .to form a national o-uaxd of defence, during winch eveay ?oun“ man in tlie Commonwealth would 'ho required for service m Ins 19th or 20tli and 21st years for military training. He would have to spend 18 davs each year in tlie field. Ho believed that within three years they would have a force capable of defending their country, and m the eighth year there would be 214,000 men with arms and ammunition, and equipment, -artillery, and cavalry. Tlip cost of this was estimated at £250,000. An additional £20,000 a : year would he devoted to cadets, and £IO,OOO to. rifle clubs.

“NO HALF MEASURES.” (Received Dec. 15, 5.4 p.m.) V LONDON, Dec. 14. Tlie Daily Chronicle says that Australia is in no mood to do tilings by halves. Mr. iDcaldn’s defence scheme, like the new tariff and new protection schemes, was large and comprehensivo. ‘