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II.-Memorandum with regard to the best nicans of consulting the

Colonies in Commercial Negotiations (April 1907)

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III.---Memorandum in connection with Resolutions affecting British

Shipping (April 1907) ·

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IV. Memorandum respecting the Extension of British Interests in the Pacific in connection with the opening of the Panama Canal (March 21, 1907)

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COLONIAL CONFERENCE, 1907.

CONFIDENTIAL PAPERS

PRINTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE

COLONIAL CONFERENCE, 1907.

I.

MEMORANDUM OF INTERVIEW BETWEEN Mr. DEAKIN (PREMIER OF THE AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH) AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ADMIRALTY.

Mr. DEAKIN.

Present:

24th April 1907.

Captain OTTLEY, Director of Naval Intelligence.

Captain Tupor, Assistant Director of Naval Ordnance. Captain JONES, Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence.

Mr. GRAHAM GREENE, Assistant Secretary of the Admiralty.

Mr. Deakin explained that, for the following reasons (inter alia), the Commonwealth Government desired to modify the present Naval Agreement.

1. While fully recognising the paramount importance of ". control " for all the general Naval forces of the Empire, the people of unity of Australia regarded the present contribution of 200,000l. to the cost of the Imperial Navy as being somewhat in the nature of a tribute, and it is therefore desirable if possible to find some means by which Australia can co-operate with the Admiralty in the Naval defence of the Empire without offence to the constitutional doctrine that the Government which levies taxation should be responsible for the expenditure and management.

2. To meet this difficulty Mr. Deakin stated that a local defence force was proposed by Australia under the political control of the Commonwealth Government as to finance and allocation to different ports, but under Naval discipline and inviting inspection by the Naval Commander-in-Chief.

3. The personnel of this local defence force should be Imperial in character, and, whether British or Australian, in order to preserve its efficiency should only serve for limited periods in the local flotillas after previous training in the Navy, to which they might return on the expiration of their term of local service.

4. The objections to a dual system of control were, he thought, not 50 great as was supposed. The control which Australians desired was constitutional. The Commonwealth Government should have control over the movements and stationing of the vessels, but would preserve the character and discipline of the force. In war the functions of the flotillas being local could not be directly controlled by the Commander-in-Chief of the seagoing fleet, who might be thousands of miles away, but the sphere of their action and such matters as recognition signals, &c., &c., would in time of war be arranged in association with that officer in order that hartuonious co-operation of the seagoing and local forces might be assured.

5. Mr. Deakin said it was desired to always keep an open door between the local force and the Imperial Navy for any Australians wishing to permanently join the latter." It was conceivable that Australians serving

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TPELTIC.O.8

885

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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