GERMAN DREADNOUGHTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 76, 28 March 1908, Page 11

GERMAN DREADNOUGHTS.

• type would S ive them a good chance of defeating the British Dreadnoughts, as the British vessels only brin>* eight 12-inch guns to bear on the broad side, while the German ships would bring" twelve into action."

The news that six German Dreadnoughts are now building, and some of them well advanced, draws attention to the mystery which prevails with regard to these ships (says the London "Daily Mail"). Though secrecy was nominally preserved by the British Admiralty as to the design of the original Dreadnought, all the important facts about her became cominnn property win thin sis months of her commencement. . But of the German Dreadnoughts it is correct to say that little or nothing is known in this country even now, and it may be doubted whether the British Intelligence Department is in possession of their details. The first of the German Dreadnoughts building is the large armoured cruiser "E," originally laid down in 1900. Then her construction was suspended, and changes were made in her to enable her to meet the newest British ships of her i class. Her construction was a second time begun in March of last year. RUMOUR AND CRUISER "E." In the summer of 1907 four large battleships of the DreadnDught class were laid down, and in November the big armoured cruiser "F," which at the date of her commencement was the biggest vessel building for any European Navy. Rumour ascribes to cruiser "E" a battery of ten llin. guns, each fifty calibres long (by which phrase is meant that the length is fifty times the diameter of the shot fired, llin.). Originally this vessel was of 14,700 tons, but her size is believed to have been considerably augmented, and now to be nearer 16,000 tons. According to report, all her guns will fire on either broadside, so that she will bring ten llin. guns into action against the eight 12in. weapons which the British armoured cruisers of the Invincible class can fire on either beam. There will probably be no great surprises about "E," but it is otherwise when we come to the four battleships. Their armament is given at anything from twelve to sixteen llin. guns, all of fifty calibres in length, and there are tales that 12in. guns of unprecedented power have been secretly building for them. But as the German Navy League has been agitating for the replacement of the llin. gun throughout the German Fleet by the 12in. gun, and as it would not waste its efforts in advocating something that had already been accomplished, it is not likely that the guns will be bigger than llin. But how are they to be arranged, for by all accounts and reports all guns are to fire on either broadside? •SUPERIOR TO THE DREADNOUGHTS. Mr. Jane believes that the Germans will for the first time introduce turrets containing three guns iv place of two\ In this way the thing might be managed, but the fire of three guns in one turret would be very slow and not much would be gained by such a course. He has rf sketch plan, showing a ship with sixteea llin guns firing on either broadside and eleven firing ahead and astern. Such a vessel would be a very formidable cus> tomer for a British Dreadnought; in> deed, she should be superior in battle as she would have two guns of llin in action for each one on board the British ship of 12in, and though the British shell is heavier, the rapidity of fire with twice

as many guns at work on the GermaiS 1910. It is rumoured that she will carry side would tell speedily. • nothing but oil fuel, and if so she will be

TWO STORIED TURRETS. Another possibility is that the Ger' mans may introduce two-storied turrets with two llin guns in each turret. Thif was a British idea of the 'eighties, first tried in the United Stater- Navy, but since abandoned by that Navy. Four two-storied turrets would mount sixteen llin guns, and it would not ha difficult so to arrange the turrets as to enable all four to tire on either broadside, but a vessel thus planned would be extremely top-heavy. Yet another possibility is that the ships may have six turrets, each carry two llin guns, and so arranged as all to fire on either beam. BIGGER THAN THE INVINCIBLES. This is on the whole the most likely. and it would give them a good chance of defeating the British Dreadnoughts, as the British vessels only bring eight 12in guns to bear on the broadside, while the German ships would bring twelve into action—a superiority in number of 50 per cent, though the shell and power of the gun is less.

tha first largo ship in which coal has been completely abandoned. The shell of the new German 12in. gun will, according to Krupp, be about 1001b. heavier than that of the British weapon , of the same size, and will be loaded with high explosives which up to date the British 12in shell has not been. The British Admiralty, however, is believed to be making preparations to reply to these now and extraordinarily powerful German ships. For some months past some guns of eighty tons have been constructing in England which will lire a shell of about 15001b weight. WHO ARE THE GUNS FOR? For whom they are building is not yet clearly known; report says for the new Brazilian battleships. But if they prove a success, they can be introduced in the new British battleships to be laid down next year. It is to bo hoped that the Admiralty will not wait too long; the progress which Germany is making is most serious, and it can no longer be contended that the German programmes are failing to materialise. ' '

As for cruiser "F," she is reported to be between 19,000 and 20,000 tons, so that she is at least 2000 tons bigger than the British invincibles.

"TO OUT-DREADNOUGHT THE DREADNOUGHT." The German ships are being built, and being built fast; moreover, unless reports are wholly at fault, they will be quite equal, if not superior, to anything yet begun in England. Rumour about the new British ship which is to "out-Dreadnought the Dreadnought" ascribes to her a displacement of 25,000 tons or even more, and a battery of eight 80-ton guns, all firing on either broadside. Such a vessel would be a deadly antagonist, if her enormous guns could be fired with great rapidity. Nothing could stand up to her gigantic shells.

She is fitted with turbine engines which are to drive her at 25J or 2(5 knots so that she will be about one knot fasto* than the British cruisers. And into the bargain she is to be better armed, since it now seems certain that she will carry ten 12in guns all firing on either broadside.

She will thus be larger, faster, and 20 per cent better armed than any British cruiser yet laid down, and will he a most formidable craft. She is .constructing with Blohm and Voss, of Hamburg, and should be ready for her trials in