New York, Aug. 2.
Mr, H. E, Pratten, Minister of Trades and Customs of Australia, who arrived last Tuesday from Eng-and en route to Sydney, speaking of the Geneva Limitation Conference, said that the responsibilities of the British Empire were not Sis sufficiently appreciated in America, Australia alone has a coastline exceeding that of the United States, he explained, and an overseas trade nearly as large a8 Japan's, "British shipping has a tonnage far exceeding that of any other} a Pratten proceeded, jai position of our far-flung empire over the Seven Seas has hardly been fairly visualized in regard to the minimum naval strength necessary for the defensive protection of the Empire and its trade routes.
"If the American people really understood the situation there would rot have been the opposition to the demands made by the British Gov-fernment representatives at the Geneva conference.
"We do not care how strong your navy is, a8 your country is always 1 possible friend and an inconcelvable enemy. There is, therefore, no possible ground for controversy between us. But Australia's isolation as well as her size and importance, lines us up very strongly with the. case for the British Admiralty.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.