AUSTRALIA'S NAVAL UNIT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 5

AUSTRALIA'S NAVAL UNIT.

'■+: BUILDING ORDERS. WAITING TOR IMPROVED SUBMARINE. (Dy Telegraph -Vreu Aisocl&Uon-CopyrieuU Melbourne, December 10. Tho Federal Government has advised Hie Admiralty to arrange without dolay a contract for building a now cruiser of tho Indefatigable , (improved Indomitable) type, which is to bo flagship of tho Australian naval unit Tho building of most of tho romaindor of ' the new unit will bo put in hand ou dates to enable tho contractors to coirplotei them all about tho Banio time, ,i, , Tho oidcr for tho thrco submarines included in the unit is withheld for tho present, with tho object of securing tho lat<"st modifications aud luipiovemcnls [Tho Australian naval unit will coisist of tho Dreadnought-cruiser as flagship, th»co sec-ond-class cruisers, 6ix deslrojcre (6jmo of which aio already in hand), and the threo submarines, whose construction, according to to-day's cablegram, is defcired. Possibly, with regard to the latter, it islntondcd to,got further information concerning tho D class of submarine tho first specimen of which made on her trials an under-water speed of twelvo knots nn hour, as compared with tho ordinary eight knots. Besides being faster, Dl is much largor than earlier submarines, and is described as "practically an under-water cruisor." She has two pon'scopes and twinscrews. It is said that her fuel storago cap- " acity is sufficient to onablo her to make long, independent cruisos,]