SHIPS AND SAFETY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 576, 3 August 1909, Page 5

SHIPS AND SAFETY.

A GERMAN OPINION. (By Telegraph-Press Association-CopyrlirtitJ Berlin, August 1. Tho "North German Gazette" cxp-rcsac* satisfaction at tho tono of tho recent debato in tho House of Commons on tho naval estimates, , i Mr. Asquith's declaration that tho Bntrth ( nn\al progiammo was inspired sorely out of regard to tho safety of tho country represents, says the "Gazette," the idea which alone governs German naval policy. SUPErVDREADNOUGHTS. According to tho "Daily Mail," the four extra JJr*..'lnoughta are to be,of "the super-Dread-l-ougbt hpo They will bo to tho famous British ball loship, w Inch Sir Phillip Watts designed in 11105, what she is to all her predecessors. ' , 'lor some months post a 13 5 in. gun of 1 experimental' design has been under manufacture at Elswick The new weapon will be able to put its huge shell with case through 12-in. oi 13 )u aimom of the latest type at any, lango up to 8000 yards •- "A coinpinson between tho original Dreadnought and the new British Super-Dreadnought will be of interest, as indicating the enormous progress in power and size:— Dreadnought DroMnonttlnV Tonnago . „ 1/900 K6COO Length (waterlino) 620 ft. ..... . 600 ft. ~ Z Guns , .\l2in, «-ton, Y 13.5-in.. WWII 12. fts . ton. t. ~, , ■ ■ Pounders .... XtfiMn. -. Broadside'.."-' -(heavy..,' , ■•-.■■ .'•', X 13,6-iiW -.guns) '....,•......:...,„....., VIII 12-in. -.:...- • .' ..- .- 5peed■;■.■....;..•.■...,....,.-.;.;;;., U-, knots '', r '..,„'22J ;-,;■. •."The armour of the ncw'ships/wili' b e ■ - ■.'•' '.' -ior; in power-of.'resistance, and , possibly &"■.' thickness, Ito the. Dreadnought's." ..' .■':' ';■ ; ;;POSITIbN:iN; THE,. , ' ; :•: STRENGTH "pii'MITISH ELEET. "■% :■"';''• .' '.-'.The. emphasis .placed by Mr;-Balfour, in his '<'••. .recently reported speech,' .on . British' roisponsibilities in tho- Mediterranean, draws .fresh■■: attention., to : the Austrian develop- •'■'■' ,nient.'The fleet.of.: Austria-Hungary: has to bo"' ; considered, jn. mlation to its present 'effeotivo '■•".' , strength; secondly, tho three battleships now ■ : ';■ building of Franz Ferdinand tviie; thirdly,'': '' • j tho four Dreadnoughts:''. > ■;' ~-, ' ■'■••'.■ -.. .... ; ..,. .... - .■ ~ ,' Present Austrian Fleet,' ./According to".Mr/" ; H.''.W/Wilson/ "the-Aus-;; tnan ships actually coruploto and in - sorvioaU'' ■ at tho present moment are of small type. There* ■ oro three battleships of 10.GOO tons each and / very high speed, hoavily armedi.three smaller battleships of-8300 tons'; and*'three coast de-' , ' fence ships 0f.6000 tons each—a,,total of nine '; ships designed for fighting in.line. There aro/ ' . ;also ; three.. armoured cruisers, carrying heavy-' 'batteries „fdV. their sizo", and■ steaming ■ fairly' fast. very: speedy torpedo scout is now',/ -■ ■' approaching'completion! and thoro are twelve . -modern destroyers and twenty-four largo and modem torpedo-boats, - besides a considerable number' of, old . torpedo-boats, cruisers, and gunboats .of' little .touting vnliie., But';eveu as . ■ ' it stands"to-day the Austrian Fleet is'not greatly inferior to tho British .Mediterranean ■ Fleet, which has been much weakoncd of iocont'years and which now'only, counts six bat- V. tlesliips, four armoured cruisers, and'eleven antiquated destroyers—no excessive force to patrol the 2000 miles of water from Gibrvltar to .'Fort'Said..- ''''~/•/ Throo Franz Ferdinands. / - ■. Tho inception of a, modern, powerful, jcoangoing Austrian fleet was in 1907, when Austria ' laid down "threo very powerful battleships of '■• the Franz Ferdinand ; class. • Thee* are moro ' ■ powerful than any battleships in the British •'■'■ Navy except the Dreadnought class, and they' : are, now-well advanced, though'" Uiey aro not oxpected to bo actually in sorvioo before'tho end of 1910. Each of them carries four,l2in, and eight 9.4 in. guns, \ besides a ntunber ot ' '■ small weapons. Thoy will bo very fast, steaming over twenty knots;-so ■ that they will bospeedier by, a knot than, tho two British bat-"■'■.: ■ tleships of the Lord Nelson olass, which they ;; - most resemble.: "■:' -;, / -• ;. '• '■':.■■ Four Dreadnoiißlrts, J: . i , : ;! Four even more, poworful,ships oro"to bo- bo- ■' gun thisi.'year, two in' Austria and the other -'•' tw probably; in Germany. Thero aro' hopes " that all four will be ready in, 1912, though tho ■■"■''"■- ordori for them l havb not aotually been givon. According to newspaper reports tlicy will be ■'■'' larger and more heavily armed than tho latest - British Dreadnoughts, carrying oithor ton or : twelve: 12in'.' guns and a number of fiih. guns and steaming twonty-twx) or twenty-four knots' while their displacement : will bo slightly over 20,000 * tons.., Nono of. our' older battleships could reeot them with any ohanoo of succes;. fho rapid\construction .of these ships is be- ' some quarters to bo bno of the quids whiclrGermany has obtained for.hor quo of initorventjon on Austria's behalf in tho Balkan pnsis. It is not tho habit of Gorman dip- - .loniaoy to work for nothingj- and it is manifest ■■"'■'•'/- that a strong Austrian fleet ia.tbe south of Europo might in inany oirournstanoos :be of im, /nioiiso xslot to thft- Gotntan. '*•'.' ',