BRITAIN'S NAVY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14581, 18 January 1911, Page 7

BRITAIN'S NAVY.

THE LATEST DREADNOUGHTS

KEEL PLATES LAID.

By Telegraph.Pre«s —Copyright. London, January 16. The keel plates are being laid to-day of the King George V. and the Centurion, two great battleships, with a displacement of approximately 25,000 tons-, and engines developing 27,000 horse-power. The speed is estimated at 21 knots per hour.

The thickest armour will be of 12in Simson steel, and the armament includes 10 of the new 13iin guns, 24 4in guns in the secondary armament to be used against destroyers, and three tubes for firing 21in torpedoes having a range of 7000 yds. The officers' quarters are situated aft.

(Received January 17, 11 p.m.)

London, January 17.

Lady Curzon Howe laid the first keel plate of the King George V., and Lady Fawkes that of the Centurion.

SCHEME OF DEFENCE.

!; PREVENTING AN INVASION.

London, January 16.

" To the second edition of Gen. Sir lan Hamilton's. " Compulsory Service" Admiral Sir A. K. Wilson (First Sea Lord) adds an appendix emphasising that Britain's defence is twofold— sea-going .fleets ; secondly, mobile mosquito craft, including 170 destroyers and torpedo boats and 50 submarines, stretching from Dundee to Dover and round to Devonport.

Sir Arthur points out that the really serious danger is the interruption of trade and destruction of merchant shipping. All ships operating in Home waters must be in wireless communication and so disposed as to make invasion, even on the moderate scale of 70,000 men, practically impossible. -

AUSTRALIAN JACK TARS. London, January 16.

Sir George Reid has arranged for Australian seamen serving aboard H.M.S. Commonwealth and H.M. S. New Zealand to continue until the cruiser Australia is ready, in September, " 1912, and then form part of her crew. The Admiralty suggests that the men. should be re-engaged for five years, as their agreement expires on March 12.