Anniversary. Address, xxi. 
I do not propose now to give any general account of what I have seen 
during my journeying. As, however, one of the objects of this 
Institute is to take note of anything that may be of permanent 
importance to this country, I think it will not be out of place this 
evening if, as one result of my tours by sea and land, I make some 
remarks on the protection of the principal ports of the colony, and on 
the general defence of New Zealand. Of course, however, it will not 
be possible for me, in the course of an evening’s address, to do more 
than give a general view of the principal points of the question. 
" The defence of New Zealand should be regarded from an petence ot 
Zealand 
Imperial and an Australasian, as well as from a local point of Romani 
view. 
The first line of defence of this, as of every other part of the 
British Empire, is on the lines of maritime communication. If the 
steamers and sailing-vessels that carry our exports and imports to 
and fro along the ocean highways were liable to be captured or 
destroyed by hostile ships, our commerce would be stopped. The re- 
sult to the colonies would be disastrous. To Great Britain, it would 
be starvation. 
(he commerce of New Zealand alone is upwards of fifteen 
millions sterling per annum, whilst that of Australasia amounts to 
upwards of one hundred millions, about equal to that of the whole of 
South America and Mexico combined. i 
Naval squadrons are maintained by Great Britain in the British 
Channel, in the Mediterranean, in the North American and West 
Indian Command, in the Pacific, in China, on the East Indian 
Station, at the Cape of Good Hope, and last, not least, in Austral- 
asia. These are charged with the defence of British interests and 
of the lines of British commerce throughout the world, and in case 
of war would be largely supplemented by ships of the mercantile 
marine which are capable of carrying guns, and are otherwise adapted 
for warfare. 
Bases for the naval defence of the empire are maintained and 
perial point of 
view. 
fortified by Great Britain, not only at Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chat- - 
ham, Sheerness, Pembroke, Portland, Cork, and other places in the 
United Kingdom, but also at numerous places throughout the world, . 
in positions advantageous for coaling, victualling, and refitting the 
vessels of war charged with the defence of our commerce. 
Along the line from England to New Zealand by the Cape of 
Good Hope are the Islands of Ascension and St. Helena; at the 
Cape, Table Bay and Simon's Bay. On the route by the Suez Canal 
- are Gibraltar, Malta, Aden, Perim, and Ceylon; then going between . 
