lievicir of Reviews, 1/3/ li 



ST 



CANADA'S PLANS FOR HER NAVY. 



By P. T. McGRATH. 



The Canadian Parliament met on 

 November 21, 191 2, for the express pur- 

 pose of deciding upon a naval polic} ; 

 and, interesting and important as this 

 problem is to the Canadian people, it is 

 almost of equal interest and importance 

 to the people of the United States, be- 

 cause it introduces a new, and what must 

 inevitably prove a disturbing, factor 

 with reference to the enforcement of the 

 Monroe Doctrine in the future. 



During recent years citizens of the 

 British Empire, in the motherland and 

 overseas, have had to consider seriously 

 the question of naval defence, compelled 

 thereto b\- the growing armaments of 

 European powers and the menace to the 

 world's peace which Germany in the 

 Atlantic and Japan in the Pacific are 

 considered by many to represent. At 

 successive gatherings of the British 

 Cabinet and the oversea premiers, the 

 subject was debated and finally a De- 

 fence Conference was convened at Lon- 

 don in 1909, to formulate plans for pro- 

 tecting the self-governing dominions. 



A NAVAL POLICY UPHELD BY ALL PARTIES. 

 When the invitation to Sir Wilfrid 

 Laurier to attend this conference was 

 tabled m the Dominion Parliament, the 

 question of Canada's share in the naval 

 defence of the Empire was full}- dis- 

 cussed, and this resolution was unani- 

 mously adopted, all parties agreeing to 

 it in its amended form after the lan- 

 guage of the original draft had been 

 modified b}' suggestions from various 

 quarters : — ■ 



(1) Tlie duty of the people of Canada to as- 

 sume in larger measure the responsibility of 

 national defen<?e is fully recognised; 



(21 Under the existing constitutional rela.tions 

 between the mother coamtry and the autonomous 

 dt>minions. the payment of regular and periodical 

 contributions to the imperial treasury for na.val 

 and military purposes will not, so far as Canada 

 is concerne<l, be the most satisfactory solution of 

 the Question of defence; 



(3) Cordial approval is pledged to any necessary 

 expenditure designed to promote the siieedy or- 



ganisation of a OanadiaJi uaval service iu co- 

 operatioa with and close relation to the imperial; 

 navy, along the lines suggested by the Admiralty,, 

 and in full suprem^acy with the view that the- 

 naval supremacy of Britain is essential to the^ 

 security of commerce, the safety of the Empire, 

 and the peace of the world, and 



(4) The firm conviction is expressed that when- 

 ever the need arises the Canadian people will be- 

 found ready and willing to make any sacrifice re- 

 quired to give to the imperial authorities the- 

 most loyal and hearty C/O-operation in every 

 movement in the maintenance of the integrity 

 and the honour of the Empire. 



POLICIES OF OTHER BRITISH DOMINIONS. 



Resolutions equally loyal were 

 adopted by Australia, New Zealand, and 

 South Africa, and at the Defence Con- 

 ference the Admiralty experts repre- 

 sented that the really vital issue was the 

 defence of the Pacific Ocean, and that, 

 since the Mother Country had under- 

 taken the protection of Canada's At- 

 lantic seaboard, the Dominions should 

 unitedly create a Pacific fleet of four 

 battleship-cruisers of the Indomitable 

 type, twelve smaller cruisers of the- 

 Bristol type, twenty- four destroyers, and. 

 twelve submarines, each Dominion pro- 

 \iding a unit — one battleship-cruiser, 

 three smaller cruisers, six destroyers, and 

 three submarines. Australia accepted 

 this proposal, and began at once the 

 creation of her fleet unit. New Zealand 

 presented a battleship to the Imperial 

 Navy, while taking time to consider 

 further action, and has lately formu- 

 lated military and naval defence- 

 policies, including provision for com- 

 pulsory service, and the addition of 

 three destroyers to her naval quota. 

 South Africa, being in the throes of 

 creating a union out of the four Pro- 

 vinces — " Capeland," Natal. " Orangea," 

 and Transvaal — could do nothing, and 

 Canada decided upon a somewhat dif- 

 ferent scheme from a " fleet unit." 



I low these undertakings have been- 

 piirt]\- translated into actualities may 

 next be stated. New Zealand has her- 



