GREAT BRITAIN'S OCEAN SENTINELS.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1485, 19 December 1884, Page 2

GREAT BRITAIN'S OCEAN SENTINELS.

In the midst of the deluge of speechmaking that descended alas! in no fertilising showers — upon the country recently, there is one passage in Sir Charles Dilke's spwch, says a Home paper, which should uot be overlooked. Speaking of rival colonial ambitious, Sir Charles who is at once a Cabinet Minister, an ex-Under Foreign Secretary, and a leader of the Radical wing, said :— " There is room enough for us all in the world, and room to spare. France - which once divided the New World with Spain, and lost her share to vs — is trying, probably at more cost than they are worth to her, to regain colonies in the place of these she lost. Of German colonies also we can have nothing to fear. Trading settlements, however, on tji« Ueat«d shores of Africa. or on the tropical islands of the Pacific can never rival daughter countries such as the United States—colonies such as the Dominion of Canada — such as New Zealand— such as the six great sisters of Australia and its Tasmanian island. The empire of England has pecnliuities which cannot be imitated or repeated, and the English blood and tongue must, under

God's blessing, ever remain dominant throughout tho world Her situation aud the character of'hor people make her the strongest power of the world, destined indeed, it may We, to be oiio day surpassed in power but surpassed in that case by her own children; speaking her own tongue. Franchise reform itself can but strengthen our empire, though in the meantime we shall not forget the sentries that guard us from attack. The people of this country are determined that not one farthing of their money shall be wasted in idle military display ; l»ut they are none the less worthy in their patriotic pride of those who have had a place before them in the annals of the realm." "We shall not forget the sentries that guard us from attack." Good ! If we leok at the condition of our fleet and the position of our coaling stations, it is about time " the sentries" were remembered.