PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
C.O.885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
P.M.06/1636 Melbourne, April 25, '06.
19785.
30
No. 8.
The GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA to the SECRETARY
OF STATE.
(Received June 2, 1906.)
[Answered by No. 12.]
Governor-General's Office, Melbourne, April 27, 1906.
(No. 96.) MY LORD,
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith, for the consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a despatch, as per margin, which has been addressed to me by my Prime Minister, respecting the strength, &c., of the Naval Squadron on the Australian Station,
(P.M. 06/1636.) MY LORD,
I have, &c.,
NORTHCOTE,
Governor-General.
Enclosure in No. 8.
Melbourne, April 26, 1906. THE recent correspondence between the Imperial and Commonwealth Governments on the subject of the substitution of H.M.S. "Powerful" for H.M.S. "Euryalus " as flagship on the Australian Station has once more directed public attention to the manner in which the Naval Agree- ment, to which the Commonwealth is a party, is being carried out, and I now have the honour to request that your Excellency will be so good as to invite the consideration of the Imperial Government to the following
circunstances.
2. Our Act was assented to on the 28th August 1903. A similar measure was passed by the New Zealand Legislature on the 12th November 1903. On the latter date the Agreement was complete, and it only remained for the parties to it to fulfil its terms. What was expected from the Commonwealth was evidently the most prompt discharge of the whole of its undertaking. That obligation, however, does not seem to have been considered reciprocal.
3. Even before the Act was passed by our Parliament the Admiralty made inquiries in respect to the payments to be made under it. After the measure had become law they took full advantage of Article 11, pressing that payment should be made as from the 28th August 1903, rotwithstanding that the Agreement, which was tripartite, remained incomplete until the passing by the New Zealand Legislature of their Act on the 12th November 1903. The Commonwealth have duly paid their share as prescribed by Article 8 since the latter date. Nothing on their part has been delayed, altered, or left undone.
4. Attention is invited to the manner in which the Admiralty have performed their part of the contract, which came into force on 12th November 1903. No increase in the strength of the squadron took place at that time. It was not until 1904 that the "Euryalus "arrived on this station in pursuance of the Agreement, and by way of a commencement to comply with it. In July of the same year the first of the 2nd-class Cruisers reached Australia. The despatch of the additional 2nd-class Cruiser required by the Agreement as it originally stood was marked with even less promptitude than was evidenced in the case of the Challenger," for it was not until December 1905-over two years from the date on which Australia had made payments on the increased scale provided by the Agreement that the Cambrian" joined the squadron.
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5. In the meantime, in pursuance of a suggestion made by the Admiralty in January 1905-14 months after the Agreement had been in force-the character of the squadron was improved to some extent. The assent of this Government was granted to the proposed alterations within a few days from the receipt of the cable embodying the suggestion of the Lords of the Admiralty, but it was only quite recently that, by the arrival of the "Encounter,'
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the squadron was at last brought up to its full strength. Even in respect of the 3rd-class Cruisers, the arrival of three out of the five did not occur until November and December of last year.
6. Full particulars are not available in the records of this Government concerning the fighting and navigable qualities of the ships composing the squadron, but considerable public disquietude has been caused by reports of the frequent mishaps which have befallen them, both on their way to Australia and since they have been in these waters. For instance, the "Encounter" does not appear to be fitted for a voyage of any length.
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7. It is not the desire of this Government to continue the correspon- dence with respect to the fighting qualities of the "Powerful" and the 'Euryalus." Whatever these may be, it is clear that a departure was made from the terms of the Agreement without the consent of Australia and New Zealand having been invited to changes in the most important unit of the squadron.
8. A further instance in which the terms of the Agreement have been departed from without any reference to this Government has just been brought to my notice. Article 2 provides that the base of the force shall be the ports of Australia and New Zealand, and limits the sphere of operations to the Australia, China and East Indies Stations. That Article expressly provides that no change in that arrangement is to be made without the consent of the Governments of the Commonwealth and New Zealand, but the 2nd-class Cruiser "Cambrian has recently been detached from the Australian Station and detailed for service on the west coast of America, a locality far removed from the stations named in the Agreement.
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9. It is therefore respectfully pointed out that the Agreement sanctioned by an Act passed by our Parliament has been interpreted differently by the Lords of the Admiralty accordingly as it related to themselves or to us. were considered bound by the very letter of our promise to pay, while they were free to supply the squadron towards which that payment was being made by degrees at much later dates, with vessels of different denominations, some of them either possessing doubtful records, or acquiring them on their way here.
10. The change proposed in January 1905 constituted an improvement, but it is submitted that a review of the whole of the circumstances suggests that the conditions of the Agreement have from the first been loosely accepted by the Admiralty, and that the Commonwealth is entitled to ask for their closer observance in future. This is especially desirable in the event of any proposal being made for a continuance or amendment of the present Agreement, or for the acceptance of an agreement on similar lines hereafter.
I have, &c.,
ALFRED DEAKIN.
19785.
SIR,
No. 9.
COLONIAL OFFICE to ADMIRALTY.
[Answered by No. 11.]
Downing Street, June 19, 1906. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 28th February,* and previous correspondence, I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to transmit to you, for the consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the accompanying copy of a despatch from the Governor-General of Australia, forwarding a letter from his Prime Minister with regard to the manner in which the terms of the Australasian Naval Agreement have been carried out by His Majesty's Government.
2. Lord Elgin will be glad to be favoured with the observations of the Lords Commissioners on Mr. Deakin's letter.
I am, &c.,
H. BERTRAM COX.
• L.F., transmitting copy of No. 7.
† No. 8.
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