THE NAVY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 153, 27 June 1908, Page 9

THE NAVY.

LONDON, May 9. Reports to hand from the Australia station convey that the gunlayer's tests of the Australian squadron are showing an improvement on those of recent years. The contemplated connection of Thursday Island—the '-jumping off" place of Northern Australia —with other joints of the continent by wireless telegraphy is a step in the right direction. Not only will it be in connection then with the Australia squadron, but also with the ships on the southern parts of the China station. The "Matin" publishes an interview with Captain Hobson. of Merrimac fame, who declared if war broke out between Japan and the United States the result w-ould be disastrous for the latter. After pointing out the weakness of the Unifed States army and navy, as compared with those of Japan, Captain Hobson concluded: "There is no doubt that Japan has assured itself of the neutrality of France and Russia in the event of hostilities, and, moreover, it has concluded an offensive and defensive alliance with Great Britain, which has enjoyed uncontested supremacy on the water for a century. The treaty remains in force until 1915, and will perhaps then be renewed automatically for a further period of ten years. The dnty of the American nation is, therefore, clearly defined. It must labour unceasingly to become supreme on the Atlantic, as well as the Pacific coast. May the country understand the nature of the task before it."

The Admiralty, it is understood, has issued orders that the cruisers and battleships armed with pairs of 12-inch guns are not to fire them simultaneously j until further orders. There is reason to believe that this order is the result of the recent affair on board the new battleship Indomitable, when, during her gunnery trials a cutter was blown to bits by the blast of her simultaneously discharged 12-inch gvrns. The blast must be terrific when we consider that it is caused by the explosion of no fewer than 3341b of cordite—each charge of the latest mark of these huge guns being 1671b and a fraction over. The-projectile thus propelled travels at the rate of 2526 ft per second, and it can penetrate 27 inches of iron at a range of 3000 yards.

The cruiser Gibralter is to be removed from the list of special service duty, and placed on the list for trooping and relief duties, for which she is well fitted. Her first service in her new line of business will be the carrying out of the new crew to Sydney for the reconnnissioning of the cruiser Challenger, on the Australia station. The Gibraltar was recently refitted and overhauled generally, at a pretty stiff figure, for this service. She will leave for Sydney by the end of next month. 1 I