Imperial Conference

While the U. S. celebrated Navy Day (see p. 11) and the Japanese Ministry of Marine called for a larger fleet (see p. 18), the Dominion Premiers of the British

Commonwealth were entertained off Portsmouth, Eng., by impressive naval war games, in honor of their visit to England to attend at London the Imperial Conference (TIME, NOV. 1).

At Portsmouth the visiting premiers and representatives of India were taken aboard H. M. S. Revenge, flagship of the Atlantic fleet, and 'examined with interest her "paravane"* equipment for defense against mines and torpedoes as she put to sea.

Soon submarines, submerged to periscope depth, surrounded the Revenge; dummy torpedoes were fired against the "paravane"; and airplanes were catapulted from the deck of an aircraft carrier to drop "depth bombs" among the submarines.

Two hours later the cruiser screen of the Atlantic fleet was sighted, tearing through the spume at 20 knots. As the fleet deployed into line of battle canvas targets were towed into place. Twenty 15-inch guns boomed simultaneously--at a cost for this single broadside of roughly $30,000./-

Premierial Pre-Occupations. Premier Stanley Melbourne Bruce of Australia, conscious that his Dominion needs the protection of the British fleet against Japan, remarked significantly: "Our people are now spending 18 shillings [$4.38] a head per year on defenses, practically twice as much as all the other dominions put together, and only five shillings less per head per year than the English taxpayer. . . . We would like to see each part of the Empire similarly bearing the common load."

Naturally Premier James B. M. Hertzog of South Africa, his Dominion safely distant from foreign naval threats, did not touch upon what his taxpayers might be willing to contribute to Empire defenses. General Hertzog was undoubtedly preoccupied instead last week, with the news that one of his chief "Nationalist" political henchmen, Dan Goetzee, had bolted to the Opposition, or loyalist "South African Party" of onetime (1919-24) South African Premier General Jan Christiaan Smuts. Bolter Goetzee, ever a law unto himself, added insult to injury by proclaiming that Premier Hertzog is taking the wrong tack at London by hinting at "secession" and will find his Cabinet threatened on his return to Cape Town.

Business. Aside from excursions and alarums the imperial conferees busied themselves as follows last week:

P:Heard with startled approbation from Air Minister Sir Samuel Hoare that time tables and rates are already in existence for the London-Egypt-India air service which will be inaugurated on or about Dec. 27. Sir Samuel repeated (TIME, Oct. 4) that he and Lady Hoare will fly in the first plane regularly operated on the new route. Rates: London to Cairo, $250; to Bagdad, $500; to Bombay, $600. Concluding, Sir Samuel said: "Two airships are being built for empire flights which will accommodate 100 passengers each and have promenade decks, outside cabins and big smoking and dining rooms. They will be able to fly about four thousand miles without refueling. They will be completed within a year. . . .

"There is no technical reason why the journey to Canada should not be reduced to two and a ,half days, the journey to India to five days, to Cape Town six days, to Australia eleven days and to New Zealand thirteen days. . . .

"This is the picture of an empire air route program upon which I ask for your advice and cooperation. I do not believe that I am either a fanatic or a visionary in asking your support for these schemes. If they prove successful they may give a physical unity to the empire that it has never possessed before."

P:Discussed in secret the secretly presented report on foreign affairs of Foreign Minister Sir Austen Chamberlain. The report is persistently rumored to contain an allusion to the alleged intention of France to transfer to Italy her troublesome League Mandate in Syria--Italy then to abstain from all interference with French interests in Morocco.

P:Appointed an Imperial Commission on Nationality to investigate such questions as "What is the nationality of an individual born in a French ship on the high seas of an Irish Free State mother and a Siamese father?"

*Paravanes are torpedo-like devices, filled with explosive or equipped with cutting blades, which are towed by armored cable from ships for defense. By adjustment of their rudders, paravanes can be made to travel beside the ship at any desired depth and distance, the cable fanning out across the ship's bows. Upon encountering the anchor chain of a submerged mine or the hull of a submarine, the cable draws the paravane into contact. When the mine's anchor chain is severed, the submarine is blown up.

/-When the last Imperial Conference met, three years ago, the luxury of actual shell fire was omitted at the concurrent naval review.