NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 311, 25 September 1908, Page 7

NAVY.

ADMIRALTY ESTIMATES. COST OF CONSTRUCTION £1,277,509. QUESTION OF CONTROL. THE REQUIREMENTS OF STRATEGIC' POLICY. (by IELEGIUM—PKESS association—cornuciiT.) (Rec. September 25; 0.-lo a.m.) Melbourne, September 24. Mr. Deakin, Prime Minister, lias tabled in tho Federal House the correspondence with the Admiralty with' reference to his proposal to establish an' Australian fleet. The scheme, as understood by the Admiralty, is for tho Commonwealth to equip and maintain a flotilla of the following strength:— Destroyers 6 Submarines ... 7 Depot ships 2 The Admiralty also understand that the men are to be supplied by, tho Imperial Government, as many as possible to bo Australian citizens, and that the administrative control is to remain with the Commonwealth subject to Admiralty conditions. Thd Financial Burden. The estimated. total cost of building the ships is £1,277,500. The question of construction will bo left for! future consideration. , ' • . • 'Tho cost of annual maintenance of the flotilla, including repairs, ' stores, and other items, : s estimated by the Admiralty to bo £186,000. The total annual cost ' 5 estimated to be:— ( .• Maintenance .... ... 183,000 Pay of officers (79) ... 1,125 Pay of men ... ... 160,000 Total) annual cost ... 347,125 Naval Policy. The Lords of the Admiralty considered that-tho security from oversea attack of the Empiro generally is best secured by the operation of the Imperial ''Navy, distributed as the strategic necessities of the moment dictate. At the same time they recognise that under certain conditions the establishment of a local flotilla, acting in conjunction with the Imperial Force, will greatly -assist.

They also recognise the importance of providing full security for the coastal towns of tho Co.umonivcath by tha provision of a local squadron; and they aro ready to co operate iii tho formation of such a flotilla, subject to satisfactory arrangements being mndo as regards the general administration of the force. LOANED CRUISERS. SUGGESTIONS BY LOJID BRASSEY. (Rec. September 24, 11 p.m.) London, September 24. Lord Brassey, in a letter to " Tho Times," expresses profound satisfaction with tho Admiralty's now policy with regard to, Australian defence. The loan of cruisers will be, he says, a great service to Australia at littlo cost to Britain, who, .being bound to continue building warships, always has vessels to spare. ' ■ Lord Brassey suggests the cruisers Spartiate or Orescent as a typo of ship desirable to lend to Australia. He advises the carrying out of a policy of ungrudgingly lending moro than two cruisers, if there bo good use for more. Britain should also freely lend officers and instructors 'in the inaugural stage. *" Tho handing over of tho cruisers, Lord Brassey thinks, should bo ,dono with- all the pomp and spectacular, effect of which Admiral •Sir John Fisher, First Sea Lord, is a pastmaster. Tho loaned vessels should form part of a squadron of our most 1 powerful cruisers.

Tho Crescent is a second-class cruiser, 7700 tons, completed in 1894 at a cost of .£392,453. Her speed is 19.7 knots, and sho carries one 9.2 in. twelve 6in., two 12pr., and smaller guns.

The Spartiate is a first-class cruiser, 11.000 tons, completed in 1902 at a cost of ,£654,661. Her speed is 21 knots, and she carries sixteen 6in. guns, fourteen 12prs., and smaller pieces. Mr. Deakin's scheme submitted to-the Admiralty included: (1) A reduced subsidy of .£IOO,OOO a year to' the British 1 navy; (2) the supply of 1000 Australians to the Admiralty, and (3) tho retention of two smart cruisers on the Australian station as an alternativo to the existing naval agreement and. as an addition to his Australian coastal navy proposals. With regard to the cabled statement that tho question of construction of the Australian flotilla is to be left to future consideration, it is noteworthy that the earlier Australian scheme proposed that half of the ships should be built in Australia. '