THE NAVY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14473, 30 September 1912, Page 7

THE NAVY.

COMPOSITION OF THE MEDITER-

RANEAN FLEET,

United Press Association—By El«ctrie Telegraph—Copyright.

(Received September 29th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 27.

It is officially announced that the Admiralty has decided that the composition of tho Mediterranean Fleet is to bo as follow : —For the present, the cruisers Good Hope, Lancaster, Suffolk, and Hampshire. In January, the battle cruisers Indomitable, Inflexible, and tho cruisers Warrior, Duko of Edinburgh. Suffolk, and Hampshire. In April, the armoured cruisers Black Prince will replaoe tho Suffolk, and in July the'battlo crujsers Invincible and Indefatigable will be added. Finally, it is announced that the third battle squadron will join the CWmander-in-Chief in tho Mediterranean.for a cruise there, from the end of October, 1912, until the end oi January.

Tho Mediterranean Fleet recently consisted of six battleships, four armoured cruisers,'end a number of smaller vessels. From now to January, according to this cable message, thore aro no battleships there, but four armoured cruisers. None of these, howover, are battle cruisers. The fighting lino in January will consist of two Lattlo cruisers and four armoured cruisers. There has teen a big falling off in the British strength in the Mediterranean of recent years, for m 1905 there were fourteen battleships in those waters.