NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15684, 11 August 1914, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

.STRENGTH IN DREADNOUGHTS. It is not always easy to convoy a clear idea of the relative naval strength of nations, In the House of Commons recently Mr. Churchill made a statement which put fcho position very lucidly. Lord Charles Beresford had asked how many ships of tho Dreadnought type it was possibio for Great Britain to have on April 1, 1914, and' April 1, 1915. Mr. Churchill replied that on the assumption that tho progress of tho work on ships under construction remained normal and that there was no acceleration, tho information asked for was as follows: —Great Britain, April 1, 1914, 29 Dreadnoughts. Add for April 1, 1915:, 30, Delhi; 31, Qrteen Elizabeth; 32, Warspite; 33, Barham ; 34, Valiant; 35, Tiger. The Australia and two Lord Nelsons have been omitted. Germany, April 1, 1914:—21 Dreadnoughts. Add for April 1, 1915: 22, Ersatz Brandenburg; 23, Ersatz Kaiserin Augusta. Italy.—l, Dante Alighieri; 2. Conte di Cavour; 3, Leonardo da Vinci; 4, Guilio Cesare. Add for April 1, 1915: 5, Duilio; 6, Andrea Dona. Austria-Hungary.—l, Virjbus Unitis; 2, Tegotthoff; 3, Prinz Eugen. Add for April 1,1916: 4, VII. The Radetskvs aro omitted. *

THE AUSTRALIAN FLEET.

If the Australian Fleet, which has now passed under the control of the British Admiralty, has occasion to go into action, it will worthily maintain the traditions |of the British Navy. The battle practice and gunnery tests made early this 'year 1 show the Australian Fleet to be exceedingly efficient, considering it has been such a short time in existence. The navy j engages in two great gunnery competitions i during the year —the battle practice test and the gunlayers' test. The battle practice test is a trial of the ship. For a roinuto or two, whilst herself steaming, she fires off as hard as she can—exactly as she would in war time—at a target which is being towed at a certain speed and distance. The gunlayers' test is a test of the individual guns and the men who are responsible for laying them. The results of both tests are confidential, and are sent to tho Admiralty for careful calculation and comparison. The battle-cruiser Australia was second in the whole of tho navy in the heavy gunlayers' tests for ships armed with,l2in guns— the King Edward class of battleships or later class, including all Dreadnoughts carrying 12in guns. Eight of 1 these ships completed their firing, the Australia being, as was said, second in order of merit. In the percentage of hits to the number of rounds fired in battle practice, H.M.A.S. Australia was actually first amongst all British ships of tho Dreadnought and later classes which fired in the year 1913. In the firing of he* smallor —4in guns— tlie gunlayers' test, out of 18 battleships and battlecruisers which completed the teets, H.M.A.S. Australia was eighth in order of merit. In the gunlayers' test, all classes, in which 28 ships completed their firing, the Australia was tenth, In battle practice, claw 1 ships, in which 15 ships completed their firing, the Australia was sixth. As to the other ships in the fleet, although details of their gunnery aro known, the tobies comparing them with the ships of tho British Navy have not yet been received . from the Admiralty. It is probable that the positions of the Australian ships in the general results of tho heavy and light gunlayers' tests will be -.—Heavy guns (69 ships): Australia 7th, Sydney 16th, Encounter 44th. Light guns (76 ships) : Encounter 22nd.

THE BUILDER OF LIEGE. TnE actual builder of the Liege forts was the Belgian general, Brialmont, who died in 0.903. Brialmont, who was born in 1821, was educated at the Brussels Military School, and entered tho Belgian Army in 1843. He became director of fortifications in the Antwerp district in 1874, and subsequently was made inspector-gen-eral of v tho Belgian fortifications. His far-reaching schemes for the fortification of certain. Belgian towns mot with no little opposition, and Brialmont felt much disappointment. In 1883 ho went to Roumania to advise as to tho fortification works required for the defence of tho country, and elaborated a scheme by which Bucharest, the capital of Roumania, was made a firstclass fortress. In his own servico he was placed en disponibilit© for having under- j taken the Bucharest works without the authorisation of his Sovereign. His services, however, wero too valuable to be lost, and on lya return to Belgium in 1884 ho resumed command of the Antwerp district. The oxtremo detached forts of the Antwerp region and the fortifications on the Mouse at Liege and Namur wero constructed in aocordanco with Brialmont's principles, namely, the lavish use of armour to protect the artillery iiiside the forts, tho suppression of all artillery positions open to overhead fire, and the multiplication of intermediate batteries. In his capacity of inspector-general, Brialmont drafted and carried out the wholo scheme of tho defences of Belgium-

BRITAIN'S .SECOND ARMY. A second army is being enlisted in Great Britain, for which, it. is stated, 100,000 meji are required. The regular I forces of tlio British Army, including ! troops temporarily stationed abroad, numbered 156,000 Ci'ectivo:; at tho beginning of this year. On mobilisation for war, the bulk of the regular army at Homo becomes absorbed into tho expeditionary force, which is supposed to have a total establishment of, about 165,000. Tho despatch of the expeditionary force to tho Continent would leave Great Britain unguarded by regular troops. It is stated that territorials may enlist in this second line of defence, and their . places will bo taken by new territorials. The British Territorial Army at tho present time has a total strength of 251,000 effectives, aiid there is little doubt that from its ranks recruits for the second amy now needed |by Britain will be forthcoming.