LARGER SUBMARINES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 23 September 1914, Page 8

LARGER SUBMARINES.

Submarines or 2000 tons, armed with four 6in guns and an increased number of tubes for torpedoes, are foreshadowed as among the possibilities of the near future in marine engineering. Mr Alexander Richardson, an authority on the subject, says:—"As great an advance, proportionate-to the size of the ship, has been made in submarine \ boats as in any craft, and thus the task of the engineer 'has been greatly increased. This is due not only to the desire for higher speeds, but greater fighting equipment. In this respect Germany is making parked progress m size as well as in'numbers. Obr, viously other Powers must follow, and vessels of at least 17.00: tons displacement may be quite frequent in the near future. As the irend is for larger guns, it may b© justifiable to speculate on the increase in size, and especially in engine powery to ensure 16£ knots with guns of greater power and range. * our. guns of 4in calibre instead of the same number of 12-pounders, with ammunition, would involve directly an increase, in armaments of 10 to 12 tons, and the--u.se of. the kame number of £,"' Suns aa additi°n of 78 tons. The it 00-ton vessel v.ould, . for 12 tons more weight, become an 1800-ton vessel, while for the 78 tons for 6in. guns the displacement would become 2,000 tons " At the end of his article Mr. itichard- | sou adds:—"lt can. be accepted with I confidence that our Admiralty officials are ensuring our supremacy in engineering scenes as well as in other departments of activity."