AUCKLAND AS NAVAL BASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 148, 21 June 1912, Page 2

AUCKLAND AS NAVAL BASE.

OVER 11,000 OFSTOBKS ASTD J-XEN. DETAILS OF THE .SEEPS. Tile visit of examination to tie Dominion at present being carried out by Captain Koliestoii, lin taharge of the naval base at Sydney, Lieut.-CoL Johnston, director of artillery in New Zealand, and Lieut. Sydenham, the Admiralty's representative at Westport, will be concluded this week, and the Admiralty representatives leave for Sydney nest Monday. Captain Rolleston has been much impressed with the interest •that is being taken in the forthcoming change in naval matters in the D-oniin-iou, and the visitors are particularly grateful for the extreme courtesy and help they have received irom the Government, and. in fact. everyone with whom tJiry have come in contact. The Defence 'Department has . done everything in its power to assist the officers. Captain Rolleston is also grateful to the Auckland Harbour Board, particularly the chairman, Mr. J. H. Gunson. and the engineer, Mr. \V. H. Hamer, who have gone to a lot of trouble in connection with the matter. The readiness of the Harbour Beard in placing a largo storage shed at the disposal of the Admiralty pending the erection of their own buildiings at the North Shore alongside the Calliope Dock was much appreciated. Auckland Harbour impressed the visitors very much as filling all' the requirements of a naval base, and it is interesting to note that the progressive works which have been carried out by the Auckland Harbour Board have very much facilitated the work of the Admiralty in establishing the base at this port. They were much struck with the size and importance of the harbour works generally, which will' give the port immense advantages in the great advance in trade which must follow in the near future. As is well known, though the fact wa-s apparently not appreciated by the people in the South. Auckland' has been definitely fixed upon as the site of the new base, nf.cp-asita.ted by the removal of the. centre of affairs from Sydney, following on the establishment of the Australian navy. The ships to be. stationed in New Zealand will be ail new, and are now being constructed at Home. There will be two cruisers of the Bristol type —18500 tons, 22,000 horse power, speed 25 knots —three destroyers, and two submarines, the last-mentioned being quite new to this part of the world. The destroyers will 'differ from those iv the Australian navy, in thf! fact that they will carry coal only, whereas the Australian boats wall carry oil as well- The submarines will burn petrol, and sub-buses for the st.ora.ge of this fuel will probably be located at Wellington and Port Chalmers or DunedL::. The fleet will be known as the Xew Zealand Division of the China Squadron, and the officer in command will probably be a. Commodore —but this and other similar points are matters of detail. As an ir.di carina of -what the change will mean to New £ealand from a business paint of view, it may be mentioned thai tim fleet represents betweon 11,000 and 12.000 officers and men, who will be stationed in New Zealand waters always, so that, although the number of ships will be less tlian that which composed the old Australian Squadrou, tlie change means a decided permanent increase for Xew Zealand. The axrival of the division next April will have additional eclat lent to it by tHe fact that the Xew Zealand, the Dreadnought presented to the Motherland by the l>o2ninJon, will also arrive at the same time, on her to the people who presented her, before she takes her place with the fleet to which she has been appointed in Home waters. In reference to the shore equipment in connection wish the establishment of the base, no detail* are at present available, as this and other matters are points upon 'which Captain Kolleston has -come across tho Tasmnn Sea to report upon, but che shore buildings will probably be on a fairly extensive, scalp. At .any rate, the. Admiralty reserve near the Calliope dock gives ample room for ail the possible requirements of both the ships and men. There was a good deal of talk about the need of an Admiralty House in view of the new base, but it 36 probable that no such residence will be necessary, at least on nothing like so generous a scale as the mansion in Emily Place, which wa.s erected for thp admiral who never -arrived.