A.—s

143

With regard to docks : that is also a matter in which we could assist, but I would like to point out that as these docks would not alone be used for commercial purposes, but also for naval purposes in time of war, they would be practically useless if they were not adequately defended. Another matter on which we would like to have the advice and assistance of the Admiralty, is as to the character of the defences in such an important strategical portion of the Empire as Cape Colony, because, if we find that it is necessary, as we think it is, to improve these defences, we would be quite prepared to discuss what our proportion of the contribution towards the improvement of those defences should be. Lord Tweedmouth has told us that the Admiralty are increasing their dock accominodalion, and that there are already some thirteen docks that will take in ships of war even of the size of the " Dreadnought," and that one of those docks is, I believe, Simonstown. Now I presume that, from an Admiralty point of view, it is not alone the question of the size of the dock to accommodate a ship of certain tonnage, but the question of a ship being able to get into that dock under all conditions of weather. I would like to be assured by the Admiralty on this point as to the docks at Simonstown. The advice I have is that, as the Simonstown Docks have been constructed, at the present moment in the prevailing wind at certain seasons of the year (that is during periods of howling south-casters) it might be very difficult for a ship to get into the Simonstown Docks. I would like to be assured that the iieeessarv works to allow that to take place are under contemplation by the Admiralty, because to have a dock which you are not able to use in all weathers (especially in time of war) to my mind, detracts enormously from the value of the dock; and I hope that this is a point that the Admiralty will fully consider before it is too late and the Simonstown Docks are fully completed. Before we return, we hope that, with the advice and assistance of the Admiralty, we shall be able to devise some scheme whereby our Naval Volunteers will be established and strengthened in number, in conjunction with Natal; and also that the Admiralty will advise us as to what is the best manner in which we can move on the lines of the policy laid down by the Admiralty. T think the people of the Colony would welcome a_ departure of that sort, and I believe would recognise that, if further contributions in such a direction were necessary, they would be willingly met by the Colony. Sir ROBERT BOND : Lord Elgin, and gentlemen,—For more than 400 years the Fisheries in Newfoundland have been a recruiting ground for the British Navy. It is so to-day. It may be so to a far greater extent in future than it is at present, for there are some 60,000 fishermen engaged in that Colbny of a physique developed by their avocation, which makes them most suitable for His Majesty's Navy. . Tn 1902 1 entered into an agreement with the Admiralty, on behalf of my Colony, in the matter of the establishment of a Naval Reserve, which should be" liable for service, if found to be necessary, beyond the limits of the Colony and in any part of the Empire. Up to the present time it has been a very marked success indeed On the roll there are now some 590 men "who have distinguished themselves in His Majesty's Service, according to the reports of the Commodores upon that station. Any large contribution that the Colony may give in the future must be in the direction of the service of such men. This is necessarily so because while the colony that I represent is not like that of mv friend, Sir Joseph Ward, a new Colony, for on the contrary, it is England's most ancient Colony, still the conditions that apply there at the present time are almost identical with those that have been pourtrayed by Sir Joseph Ward. The Colony for the most part is an undeveloped one. The expenditure

Fifth Day. 23 April 1907.

Naval Defence. (Dr. Smartt.)