Untitled

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3597, 9 August 1912, Page 4

There recently appeared in the “Montreal Star” a

How can th 3 Colonies best help the Empire?

thoughtful article on tne question as to

what steps the Colonies should take in order to render the most efficient Help in the defence of the Empire. What it particularly aims at showing is that Australia, by building a local navy, is doing nothing to safeguaiu the Empire, and but little good for herself, should it be the case, as is now widely held throughout the world, that Germany alone is waiting to test our strength. Its view of the position is that the “Yellow' Peril,” which Australia most dreads, is but a very secondary matter at the present juncture of the world’s affairs to the real and ever prominent menace which confronts the Empire in the North Sea. Australia, it proceeds to say, should remember that so long as the Empire is intact- and so long as “Britannia rules the waves” there could be no “Yellow Peril” under anything approaching thinkable conditions for any part of that Empire. “To begin with wo shall probably long have Japan as an ally—and .Japan has Corea to settle and Formosa to civilise —and the Japanese navy could be depended upon to unite w ith the Royal Navy to ward off any ambitious Asiatic Power from British territory. The place to meet the ‘Yellow Peril’ to-day is therefore in the North Sea!” According to our Canadian contemporary the best thing that Australia can do in the interests of the Empire—and it feels certain that Canada will adopt the same course—-is to follow the example of

• 'plucky little New Zealand' and send her Dreadnought “where it may find some fighting to do long before China lias a single Dreadnought to face it.” “As matters stand at present’’ continues the “Star,’’ “if the British Empire gees down in blood and smoke some foggy morning in the North Sea, then the various fragments of the Empire will lie an easy prey of the strong Powers in all parts of the world. Canada, we imagine, tvill disappear in the benevolent bosom of ouibig neighbor to the South. As tor Australia, what- other Power "ill attempt the tremendous task of defending for her the empty tropical territories to the North which she cannot long defend for herself. W ill the Americans do so, with all the empty territory at- their disposal on this continent ? Will Germany feel that she carl shoulder so heavy a burden if she lias just thrust a passionate rebellious Eli ope under her heavy toot? Would vlii try and fight Japan and China •is well as hold Britain, Prance and Russia in subjection? The mist of the future hides the answers to these questions. Some other strong arm may be raised for the protection of Australia’s white home. But if it is it will infallibly demand that Australia am cept its flag and its sovereignty. This would frankly be better than the ‘’Yellow Flood’, but it would also be far more unlikely.” Under the circumstances which govern the prospects of the Empire, Australia is, therefore, counselled by the “Star" —and wisely we think—to assist as far as possible, first of all in sustaining at all costs the Royal Navy which is, of course, the first line of defence so far as Britain and her Dominions are concerned.