ADDENDA 1629 
PacE 1537. The proposals of the Postmaster-General were carried 
into effect, reduced rates for press telegrams of a not urgent character 
of 21d. to America and 5d. to Australia being introduced from 
December 15 as a result of negotiation with the Western Union Cable 
Uo., which took over the cables of the Anglo-American and Direct 
United States Companies; further it was arranged to introduce 
from January 1, 1912, half rates for telegrams in plain language be- 
tween the United Kingdom and the Dominions and Colonies subject 
to their being liable to be deferred for not over twenty-four hours. 
Pace 1552. The Canadian Government has decided to reconsider 
the whole position in 1912 in conjunction with the Admiralty, but 
will not proceed with the programme accepted by the late Govern- 
ment! Suggestions have been made in the press for the substitution 
of a direct contribution to the navy in place of the provision of an 
auxiliary fleet.2 The question in any case will be settled by the 
people of Canada after a scheme has been prepared. 
The creation of the naval forces of the Dominions and their claim 
for consultation in foreign politics raise again the question of 
pecuniary responsibility, e.g. for illegal capture by Dominion fleets, 
or for failure to observe neutrality rules. Formerly the Imperial 
Government bore the pecuniary responsibility (e.g. in respect of the 
failure of the Government of Victoria to prevent the violation of 
neutrality by the Shenandoak in 18653), but the rule will require full 
consideration in the light of the changed circumstances of independent 
Dominion navies. Colonial Governments already bear the expense 
of violations of international law within their territories, e.g. in the 
case of the Vancouver riots of 1907, Canada paid the cost of making 
good the damage done ; in 1878 Newfoundland paid the damages in 
the Fortune Bay incident, and any damages awarded under the 
Pecuniary Claims treaty with the United States will, of course, 
be paid by Canada or Newfoundland as the case may be. 
Pace 1552. The Act passed to carry the arrangement into effect 
was the Naval Discivline (Dominion Naval Forces) Act, 1911. It 
1 See Mr. Borden in House of Commons Debates, 1911, pp. 62-5; Mr. Hazen, 
bid., pp. 178-80; Mr. Monk, ibid., pp. 240-8; contra, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, 
bid., pp. 50 seq. Cf. Canadian Gazette, lviii. 415, 416, which emphasizes the 
»fiect on Canadian feeling of the revelations of the dangerous situation which 
existed in July and August 1911 in connexion with German policy towards 
the Moroccan question (see Imperial House of Commons Debates. November 27, 
December 12). 
® See Montreal Daily Star, October 20, November 3, December 20, 1911. 
The project had often been raised before the election by the Star and other 
papers; see Canadian Annual Review, 1911, pp. 176 seq. Another suggestion 
is a coast defence scheme only; Manitoba Free Press, January 23, 1912; cf. 
Leacock, Canada University Magazine, X. 535-53. 
8 See Morris, Memoir of George Higinbotham, pp. 83-93. But Jamaica, a 
Crown Colony, was compelled to pay half the cost of the mistake of her Governor 
in detaining the Florence ; see Parl. Pap., C. 3453, 3523. 
' See Parl. Pap., C. 2184, 2717, 27517, 3059, 3762. 
12793 M