George Pearce had served as Australian defence minister and was minister for home and territories when selected for Washington. His support for naval spending reflected Australia's dependence on the sea for outside reinforcement as well as trade. He had ordered the first three River-class torpedo-boat destroyers and accepted reasonable professional recommendations for military equipment. New Zealand had helped finance HMS New Zealand but lacked the personnel and resources to sustain an equivalent force of its own. It sent John Salmond to press its interests through diplomacy. Both governments sought a Royal Navy capable of providing defence in depth, although their ability to contribute ships and crews differed.
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Australia and New Zealand defend themselves in depth
The two Pacific dominions depended on naval power but differed sharply in their capacity to fund ships and crews of their own.