11 JULY 1903, Page 3

The money contribution which will be made if the Bill

passes is a large one, but we consider as more important the establishment of a branch of the Royal Naval Reserve in Australasia, and that sixteen hundred Australians and New Zealanders are to man four of the ships of the new squadron. We want Australia, as essentially a seashore country, to understand through her own population what sea-power means, and how vastly important it is. Hiring sea- power by subsidies could never teach her that, but sending sixteen hundred men to sea will help to do so. We should not grudge Australia the defence provided by the Fleet even if she did not pay a single penny towards it, but we do want her to realise that it is part of her duty to acquaint her population with military service at sea.