,70 A Colonial Navy. 



imperative, if only as a matter of prudence, that we should 

 look the whole of the facts full in the face, to see what means 

 can be devised to meet the exigencies of the ease. Victoria, 

 by virtue of her position and trade, has by far the largest 

 and the most vital interest of the whole of the Australian 

 colonies in this matter ; and this interest will be vastly 

 increased by the spread of her railway communications into 

 the interior ; and it naturally follows that the larger her 

 interests and the more important her wealth' and trade in 

 connection with England, the more desirable it will appear 

 to an enemy in the event of war to strike the first blow at 

 Melbourne, as a means not so much merely to ruin this 

 country as a colony, as for the more important object of 

 dealing an enemy a blow in a part where it will be the most 

 keenly felt, with the least expenditure of power. In such 

 position we stand at present, whilst our treasure ships alone, 

 which are despatched from these shores, will form a large 

 inducement to any belligerent to commission cruisers or 

 privateers, although such power may be destitute of a port 

 or of a single national ship, 



6. The great distress caused in England by the stoppage 

 of the cotton supplies will serve to some extent as an illus- 

 tration of the wide-spread disasters caused by the interrup- 

 tion of only one branch of trade, (although such a possible 

 contingency was foreseen for years), and her inability to 

 ward off the blow was a consequence of her neglect to take 

 timely measures in anticipation of such a possible misfortune. 

 The calamity above alluded to, although serious to the 

 British nation, never stopped her actual progress, but in our 

 case the interruptions to our communications, the intercep- 

 tion of our traders, or the bombardment of Melbourne, would, 

 any, but especially the whole of them, be absolute ruin ; 

 comprehending as they do some of the greatest evils to which 

 a young country can be subjected. It is only by timely 

 provision against such possible contingencies that such evils 

 can be averted. With war declared it will be too late. 



7. There can be little doubt that, in the event of war, 

 Great Britain will strain every nerve to make ample pro- 

 vision for the protection of her colonies and trade ; and that, 

 in making such provision, this country and the routes to and 

 fro will command an important place. But it must not be 

 forgotten that this colony is only one amongst many to be 

 provided for, and that now, in the days of steam fleets, the 

 Home Government will find it more necessary than ever to 



