CANADA'S CRUISER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1197, 4 August 1911, Page 5

CANADA'S CRUISER.

NIOBB IN DANGER OF SINKING. Uj TelecraDn—Press Aesociation-CoDyrlirtrt Ottawa, August 2. The cruiser Niobe, which was recently refloated after grounding in a fog, is stationed at Halifax.- ■ . r. \ • Sho is in danger of sinking. The salvage steamers are unable to cope with tho rising water. ' THE VESSEL SAVED., ' (Kec. August 4, 0.35 a.m.) Halifax, August 3. The Niobe was saved from sinking by tho arrival of additional pumps. She will be docked in order to ascertain the extent Of tho damage. Captain H'Donald will probably bo cdurt-martinllcd.; The Canadian Government, in , pursuance of its naval programme, in Jlny last received tho tenders for the construction of four second-class cruisers, approximately similar to the Town clas-s cruisers of ■ tho Eoyal Navy, and six destroyers. Tho programme-in its original form, as decided at the Conference of 1909, consistod of these ten ships with, in addition, ono third-class cruiser of the Boadicea type. It was decided, however, not to build the third-class cruiser, as Canada had acquired the old first-class protected cruiser Niobe from tho Eoyal Navy for something less than the. cost of such a ship, and had decided to consider her as a substituto for the projected Boadicea, The old second-class cruiser Rainbow, which was-also acquired by Canada last year, is additional to tho establishment. These two old ships, said a recent naval writer, will .no doubt continue for some years to do good service as training ships, but they chnnot be regarded as very effective fighting units. Their sisters in the Royul Navy have all either been relegated to subsidiary service, being made tenders to tho various establishments, or aro in the lowest class of tho Reserve. A few of them have been condemned. The Melanipus, once commanded by King George, was sold in July last, and three other ships of tho same class have this year been placed on the Kile list.