§ THE DUKE OF SOMERSET,in moving the second reading of this Bill, said, its object was to enable several of the colonial possessions of Her Majesty to make better provision for their own maritime defence. The question was one, he added, which had been under the consideration of the Colonial Office and of the Admiralty for some time, various proposals with respect to it having been made by the Australian Colonies, who had offered themselves to undertake a large portion of the necessary expenditure. Much difficulty was, however, experienced on the subject—not so much in a colonial as in an international point of view; but that difficulty had, he thought, been met by the present Bill, which provided that the whole expense of the proposed defensive operations should he undertaken by the colonies, hut that the arrangements for the purpose should be made by them in connection with the Home Government by means of Orders in Council. The effect of the Bill would, in the first place, be to create a Naval Reserve somewhat similar to that which existed in this country, and which would be enlisted in the colonies under similar conditions. At home the measure 273 for the creation of a Naval Reserve had been found very successful, for we had now between 16,000 and 17,000 men, all able-bodied seamen, who were almost all trained to gunnery. Something of the same kind would, he hoped, gradually grow up in the colonies. There was also a provision enabling officers in the naval service in this country to take service there, with the consent of the Admiralty. These officers would be invaluable for training and commanding this force; and in that way a most effective source of colonial defence would, he thought, be provided. The Government, he might add, had lately received a proposal from the colony of Victoria for building vessels in this country of a large class as well as of smaller vessels on the turret principle to enable them to defend their harbours. Provisions calculated to further those proposals as well as the others to which he adverted constituted the main features of the Bill, which, he trusted, would be found fully to answer the purpose.
§ Bill read 2a and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.