Anniversary Address. XXV. 
the assumption that that supremacy is, as it undoubtedly will be, 
maintained. 
In the event of Great Britain being engaged in hostilities with 
any great maritime Power, the enemy would retain the most powerfu 
portion of his fleet in European waters, or in the Atlantic, for the 
protection of his country, or for operations in the immediate neigh- 
bourhood of hostilities. If he sent his fleet, or any considerable 
portion of it, on an expedition against the Australasian Colonies, a 
sufficient part of our Home fleet would in turn be set free to 
intercept it; and our squadrons in the Pacific, on the China, the 
Australasian, and Indian stations, might, if necessary, be concentrated 
to oppose it. 
But, whilst the bulk of the enemy’s naval forces would be 
occupied in the immediate scene of action in Europe or America, 
he might no doubt despatch one or more cruisers, and possibly an 
ironclad, to operate against our maritime commerce, or make a de- 
scent upon Australasian ports, which, if undefended or insufficiently 
protected, would offer tempting objects of attack.  Eluding our 
cruisers, and appearing suddenly on the coast of New Zealand or Aus- 
- tralia, the enemy might capture the merchant-vessels in the harbours ; 
or— under threat of bombardment, or after actually firing into one of 
the towns —demand and obtain payment of money. Or this object 
might be attained by an enemy landing a small force in the vicinity 
of a town, if steps were not taken to meet such a contingency. 
Of late years the Governments of the several Australian Colonies Action of 
(I do not include Western Australia) have incurred considerable Colonies 
expenditure in providing defences for their principal ports. In 1877, pp aia 
accompanied by. Colonel (now Major-General) Scratchley, at the 
request of the several Governments concerned, I visited all these 
colonies, and proposed measures for the defence of Port Phillip, Port 
Jackson, Newcastle, Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Hobart, and other 
places. I am glad to say that—thanks to the zeal and energy of 
Major-General Scratchley, who was charged with the carrying-out of 
the works—the recommendations made by me are now far advanced 
towards completion. | 
At Port Phillip batteries have been constructed and armed for the 
defence of the entrance and the West Channel, and a torpedo esta- 
blishment has been provided with a view to applying torpedo defences 
in suitable positions in the channels within “ the heads." 
A design for an important marine fort, which forms part of the 
system of defence—with reference to which, accompanied by Major 
Cautley, I reeently held a meeting at Melbourne with all the authori- 
