"UNFIT FOR SERVICE."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1146, 6 June 1911, Page 5

"UNFIT FOR SERVICE."

CONDITION OF H.M.S. INVINCIBLE. By Tcleeraph-Press Association-Copyrieht London, June 4. Admiral Lord.Charles Beresford, M.P. for Portsmouth, in an interview, accused tho Admiralty of misrepresentation- in connection with the cruiser Invincible, which, he said, had been unfit for service since being commissioned. Ho protested against tho using of a -first-clnss ship for the experimental work-, ing of guns electrically when an old ship could have answered the purpose. The Invinciblo ought to have been docked and thoroughly overhauled when tho electrical defects in her were discovered, instead of which the Government had been doctoring her for the Coronation, and intended docking her afterwards. Mr. M'Kenna (First Lord of the Admiralty) informed Lord C. Beresford in the House of Commons, on February 23, 1910, that the Im.ncible fired her 12in. guns on March U, 1903, and had not since fired them until tho previous Tuesday, February 22, when she fired all her turTets after having been delayed for a considerable time by bad weather. He went on to give a detailed explanation of these facts, showing how minor defects were several times discovered and remedied in the electrical gear of the turrets. Tho Invincible, ho pointed out, was an experimental ship so far as working the turrets electrically was concerned, and ample time was required for investigating and remedying defects as they arose, so as to get a fair comparison with tho hydraulic system. In reply to a supplementary question, Mr. M'Kenna added that ho did not think it was in the public interest to answer questions on such matters, but so much had been said outside on the subject' that a full official explanation was necessarjv