Australia's Case: The Singapore Conference: Financial Question Rear-Admiral Grant's attendance at the Singapore naval conference is still a topic of much interest, says the Sydney correspondent of the "Morning Post." It has been remarked that he was flying the flag of Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth naval forces, and much speculation has been caused on account of this. Why does the First Naval Member (our local Wirst Sea Lord) suddenly assume command of the fleet in order to confer with British fleet commanders on the eastern Asiatic stations?' Why does not Commodore Dumaresq go as the Australian fleet commander? If it is no more than the annual conference of fleet commanders in these waters—a scheme long ago practised but fallen into desuetude—why does not the actual fleet commander go, as by rule he should?
The local naval authorities to all such questions are less vocal even than the granite hills. It is largely a service matter, and they probably do right to be silent. But Press and public here probe reslutely such evidence as they can get, for, after all, there is a real interest in this Pacific naval question above the service interest. The public answers the questions for itself this way: Rear-Admiral Grant goes because high matters of policy are in issue, because this conference is to some extent a preamble to the Imperial naval conference in London this month and because he will almost certainly go to that conference with Mr. Hughes.
Cart ror Pusuicity.
These matters of policy are really no secret, and the Australian Press—firmly persuaded that the Commonwealth will have to do its share in paying for the increased naval strength we want in these seas—urges publicity on the whole subject in order to prepare the people for the inevitable, and enlist their support in advance. The Austra-lion case which Mr. Hughes will take to the London Conference is its main outline as clear as day. These are the points of that case:
In view of Japanese and American shipbuilding programmes and the growing strength of their Pacific fleets, will the British Admiralty station a modern fighting squadron in the Pacific?
There can be no question of making any backward step, such as disbanding the Royal Austra-lion Navy. Public feeling would never permit it, although extra cost is plainly involved.
Will the Admiralty take steps to carry out the policy agreed upon at the 1911 conference, and enable the various Pacific fleets or fleet-units to work at regular intervals as a combined fleet?
If the Australian delegation has to meet an Admiralty protestation that the capital ship is out of date
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.