NEW NAVAL SHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15236, 25 February 1913, Page 7

NEW NAVAL SHIPS.

FIVE ARMOURED CRUISERS.

SPEED OF 25 KNOTS.

GUNS OF INCREASED SIZE.

By Telegraph — Press Association Copyright.

London, February 23. The Observer states that five ships will be included in the forthcoming British naval programme-. They will be neither battleships nor battlecruisers, but a hybrid type of 23,000 tons, with 13iin armour, the estimated speed being 25 knots. They will carry eight 15 or 16|in guns.

The new armoured cruisers will be 300 tons heavier than their predecessors.

Submer'sibles will replace destroyers, and the new type will have a surface speed approaching that of the river type of destroyers.

ANOTHER PAPER'S ACCOUNT. NO ALTERATION IN TYPE. (Received February 24, 10.15 p.m.) London, February 24. The Daily Telegraph, in forecasting the Naval Estimates, says that as the Continental programmes are only paper ones, it is not necessary at present to readjust the British construction programme. Whatever liability may arise will be taken into account when Italian and Austrian ships are authorised. The Telegraph denies that there is to be any alteration in the types of British vessels, except in an increase of the speed of the submarines. DREADNOUGHTS OF EUROPE. Mr. Churchill (First Lord of the Admiralty), in reply to a. recent question in the House of Commons by Lord Charles Beresford (who asked how many ships of the Dreadnought type it was possible for Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and Aus-tria-Hungary to have on April 1, 1914, and April 1, 1915, and what were their names), stated that, on the assumption that the progress of the work on ships under construction remained normal and that there was no acceleration, the information asked for was as follows: — Great . Britain, 29 on April 1, 1914, and 35 on April 1, 1515; Germany, 21 in 1914, and 23 in 1915 Italy, 4 in 1914, and 6, in 1915 Austria-Hungary, 3in 1914, and 4 in 1915.''