On This Day
1900-1913 > Federation, RAN and pre-WW1
On This Day - 1900-1913
- February 11, 1902
Anglo-Japanese treaty signed. The treaty required Britain and Japan to join the other in the event of hostilities. Australian naval policy was strongly influenced by this treaty. It expired on 13 July 1921.
- September 28, 1901
CAPT William Creswell, RN, submitted his historic report on Australian sea defence, commerce, and ports.
- March 29, 1901
Transport 106, (China Navigation Company vessel SS CHINGTU), sailed from Hong Kong returning troops to Australia
- March 1, 1901
The order was gazetted that all Australian armed forces should be transferred from the jurisdiction of the State Governments to the Federal Government, which under the Federal Constitution, would be the sole Australian Defence authority. The Commonwealth Naval Force came into existence. It’s war equipment consisted of a motley collection of largely obsolescent warships, including, HMC Ships CERBERUS and PROTECTOR, torpedo boats CHILDERS, COUNTESS OF HOPETOWN, LONSDALE, NEPEAN, and MOSQUITO, gunboats GAYUNDAH and PALUMA, and a number of small naval auxiliaries. Naval personnel strength was 240 permanent members, and 1348 members of the Naval Brigade.
- January 17, 1901
Sir John Forrest was appointed Defence Minister, and CAPT R. Muirhead Collins, (former RN officer), became Secretary of Defence in the Commonwealth administration.