A VERY FAST DESTROYER.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12964, 18 November 1907, Page 7

A VERY FAST DESTROYER.

The destroyer Mohawk averaged 34J knots on a steam trial lasting six hours in the North Sea.

Tho .Naval Estimates for 1905-1906, the last framed by the Unionist Government, were £33,389,500; those for 1907-1908 are £30,400,000. Tho Estimates reached their highest figure, £36,889,500, in 1904-.5. The Army Estimates for 1905-1906 were £29,813,000, and for 1907-1908 are £2/,760,000. 'In distributing prizes to a volunteer battalion recently, Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary, said that during the past tour years the Government that had been iii power had done nil that they could by their foreign policy to diminish the risk of war by removing possible causes of quarrel between ourselves and other nations. He could namo at least six different questions which four years ago people would have said might in the future become the cause of quarrel between ourselves and some other European country, and which during th© last four years had all been removed from the dangerous position they had held to a position in which they had become subject to friendly discussion, instead of jealousy and suspicion between ourselves and other nations. When, therefore, ho asked them to encourage the voluntary spirit and to do their utmost to make th© Army scheme a success, he did it in no alarmist spirit, because he did not believe that ever was this country more peacefully disposed than at th© present time. He had no reason whatever to think that the peaceful disposition which obtained in this country waa not equally shared by our neighbours on the Continents. But tbe British Empire was on© of vast magnitude and great complexity, and it was not, and was never likely to be, within the power of any Minister to say that our responsibilities were so simple and our position to secure that no storm was likely to arise. Though he believed that we stood in as strong a position to-day as we had ever stood in, wemust maintain that position by thoughtfulness and organisation. True economy w© should have, and ho trusted we should get; but people who realised what it was to be a citizen of this country would, he Tioped, realise that it should be one, of the obligations of citizenship to take an interest in our military affairs. We should do our utmost therefore to supply an army of the strength and quality which the Government of the day considered necessary for the needs of th© country. The Mohawk is one of w »©w class of five ocean-going destroyer* ith a tonnage of 795 tons and a contract speed of 33 knots. Th© class will be the fastest in the Navy until the completion of tho Swift, which is designed for 36 knots.