AUTOMATIC SHIP

Northern Advocate, 11 October 1928, Page 5

AUTOMATIC SHIP

MARVELLOUS MANOEUVRING RADIO DIRECTION. BATTLE FLEET PRACTICES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 11.25 a.m.) RUGBY, October 9. Inspection was permitted yesterday at Cromarty Firth of H.M.S. Centurion, formerly one of the finest super-dreadnoughts in the Navy, but uow serving as a target ship for the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets. Although she appears to be but a useless bulk, and is completely disarmed, she is capable under radio control, without a single man aboard her, of travelling at 16 knoits, starting, stopping and turning as desired, and in every way imitating the manoeuvres of a fully-manned battleship. Wirless controls not only manoeuvre her steering, but also her steam valves as required, and regulate her oil fuel.

The Centurion has been severely batiterod in gunnery practice, but owing to the system of protection which w*as adopted when the vessel was put I to its present use, her vital parts remain 'intact and almost impregnable. A belt of steel protects her for several feet above the water line. Her crew forsake her at the last moment before the practice begins, and are then accommodated in the old destroyer Shikari! Wheifi her duties as a target ship are temporarily over, the crew reboard the Centurion, and the work of repairing their quarters begins. Every part of the vessel bears evidence of merciless bombardment, for when the fleet makes mimic war the Cebturion is victimised twice in a week.