PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 583 
Colonial Governments unfettered in making arrangements for the execution 
of that portion of the general scheme of defence which they may undertake ; 
and there can be no inconvenience or loss from such independent action 
provided the scheme of Imperial defence has been considered as a whole, and 
an understanding reached in regard to the distribution of the work. At 
present the Mother Country alone possesses experience and means of manu- 
facturing warships and armaments ; so that gradual developments, requir- 
ing time and experience, will be necessary before the Colonies can become 
self-supporting in these respects should they desire to do so. On the side of 
personnel and its training also the Royal Navy must be the great school 
for all parts of the Empire. Finally, the full utilisation of Imperial defen- 
sive forces demands the existence of a complete understanding and the pre- 
arrangement of a common plan of campaign. In order to meet this 
essential condition there must be an Imperial staff. 
The burden of naval defence has hitherto been borne almost entirely by 
the Mother Country. What the weight has been is hardly realised until the 
figures for expenditure are examined. As indications of what is involved 
in creating and maintaining a modern navy of the first class, it may be 
mentioned that in the ten financial years of the present century (including 
the current year 1909-10) the total expenditure on the Royal Navy amounts 
to 328 millions sterling. From 1885 to 1902, during the period I 
occupied the position of Director of Naval Construction and Assistant 
Controller of the Navy, the total outlay on the 245 ships for the designs of 
which I was responsible amounted to about 100 millions sterling. The 
stress of foreign competition and the growth in dimensions and cost of war- 
ships are leading to still greater expenditure on the Navy, and it is good to 
know that Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa are ready 
and willing to bear their share of the inevitable burden. 
All branches of engineering have been and will be drawn upon freely in 
the execution of this great task. Mining and metallurgy assist by the pro- 
duction of materials of construction; mechanical and electrical engineers 
contribute machines and appliances required in shipyards and engine 
factories, as well as guns, gun-mountings, and mechanical apparatus of all 
kinds required in modern warships in order to supplement and economise 
manual power; marine engineers design and construct the propelling 
apparatus, and constantly endeavour to reduce the proportion of weight 
and space to power developed ; naval architects design and build the ships; 
constructional engineers are occupied in the provision of docks, harbours, 
and bases adapted to the requirements of the fleet; and other branches of 
engineering play important if less prominent parts. The progress of inven- 
tion and discovery is increasing, rapid changes occur unceasingly, the outlay 
is enormous, the task is never-ending, but its performance is essential to the 
continued well-being of the Empire, and it must and will be performed. 
The following Paper was then read :— 
Hydro-electric Power Plant for the City of Winnipeg. 
By C. B. Surry, M.Inst.C.H. 
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27. 
The following Papers were read :— 
1. Improvements in the Navigation of the St. Lawrence.' 
By Lieut.-Colonel Wiuu1am P. ANDERSON, M.Inst.C.E. 
? Published in Engineering. 
