PASSING OF THE AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17295, 5 November 1921, Page 13

PASSING OF THE AUSTRALIA.

ECONOMY Iltf NAVAL DEPARTMENT. H.M.A.S. Australia is for tho scrap heap, says the Sydney "DaTTy Telegraph" of October 25th. The wavo of economy which descended upon the Navy Department oror twelve months ago, and the effect of which ia seen ih the present insignificant and powerless fleet, ia about to Bweep- H.M.A.6. Australia out of commission. The iformer 'battle-cruiser is now at Westorn Port, Victoria, spending; her last days of usoftjlneas as a training ship. In a few weeks' time Bho will leave her present home and come to Sydney, where she will be degraded and her identity as a naval unit lost for over. . . . Her place as a training ship will probably be taken by H.M.A.S. Sydney. The Australia, has coat millions of Sounds to the Federal taxpayer son or arrival here in 1913. A magnHU cent crnieer to gaze upon, she served a useful purpose during the war. But long before she returned to Australian waters aftgrthe armistice she had become obsolete. But she was still a spectacular feature of tho small local navy, and considerations of expeaaa had no weight in tho days immediately following tJio war. When, howover, questions of econctny became the consideration of the hoar, the usefulness of the Australia was called into question, and the battleeruLscr was relegated to tho flinders Naval Depot to do service as a. training ship. # Even in that capacity, and with ft reduced crew of only 400. the Australia's annual bill was £238,918. .Tina hugo expenditure gave concern to members of th& Naval Board, and they recently recoitifliended to tie Minister the necessity, for purposes of economy, of scrapping tho Australia. The scene of the old battle CTUJSert proud existence in pre-war days. Sydney Harbour, will witnes/nefr humiliation. / Sho becojnea a naval derates.