NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15915, 12 May 1915, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE DARDANELLES.

DISCUSSi>o the operations in the Dardanelles, the • Spectator says:—"We aro glad to note that tho Temps, while discussing the question of the Dardanelles, takes exactly the line which we took as to the future of Constantinople and of the Bosphoms and Dardanelles. It is quite clear that France as well as Britain will now welcome Russia's entry into the warm water, and that winter will no longer mean for Russia the sealing up of all her chief ports. Russia will unquestionably get a great accession of strength by tho possession of Constantinople, but no reasonable section of public opinion either hero or in France will envy her. She has made great sacrifices for the common cause and deserves great rewards.' 1

EIGHT RUSSIAN DREADNOUGHTS.

An important fact affecting the naval situation in the Baltic, of which littlo public mention ha* been niado, is that the Russian fleet in those waters will shortly ba augmented by tho addition of eight new Dreadnoughts of great sizo and power, which are noaring completion and will probably go into commission during tho present year, says the Scientific American. Four of these ships, the " Sebaiitopol," " Petropavlovsk," " Poltava" and "Gangut," are Dreadnoughts of 23,026 tons displacement, 23 knots speed, carrying each twelve 12in guns and sixteen 4.7 in guns. They were launched between June and October, 1911, and work upon them having been accelerated, they should bo in commission before many months havo passed. Tho other four wit! bo the largest battle-cruisers afloat. They are named the " Ismalia," " Kin burn," "Borodino," and "Navareno." Tho .displacement of these ships is 32,200 tons, tho speed 28 knots, and each of them will carry the enormous battery for a. battlecruiser of twelve 14in guns and twenty--0110 s.lin guns.

THE ATTITUDE OF GREECE. Recently the Oorriere della Sera published an interesting interview with M. Venizelos, who said that twice since the war began the Triplo Entente had asked Greece to send troops to tho help of Sorvia. Tho attitude of Bulgaria had prevented Greece from doing so. When the operations at the Dardanelles opened, the Triple Entente once more inquired whether Greece would intervene. The Crown Council was summoned, and M Yeniwlos proposed that 50.000 men should be sent against the Turks, and that Greece should demand in r'lurn the tho vilayet, of Smyrna. The staff made some objections, and M. Venizelos then suggested that only 15,000 men should bo sent, as well as the navy, and that the u/ie of a naval base should be granted to the allies. Tho council next objected that it would bo impossible to defend the vilayet of Smyrna, but M. Venizelos pointed out that if the allies wero victorious Greece would be the neighbour of Russia and Italy in Asia Minor. The council finally objected that Greece herself would be open to invasion. M. Venizelos expressed his deep disappointment. Such an oppor tunity might, never occur again. He told his interviewer that he would shortly lav his views before a scries of public meetings in Greece. If he does so, says the Spectator, we expect that the effect will

be very great. Public opinion is apparently already on his side We' shall not ■venture to say what course we think Greece would be well advised to take. She must, of course, decide lor herself without any sort of interference or veiled intimidation from abroad. But judging the situation- as dispassionately as wo can on the facts, we should say thai it will be Hurprising if the Greek nation does not compel M. Venizelos to return to power. He has served Greece Brilliantly so far, and his countrymen have learned to respect his judgment and to believe in his good fortune.

DEMAND FOR LARGER GUNS.

Before the Queen Elizabeth had done her surprising work in reducing the Dardanelles forts at 21,000 yds range, Brigadier-General E. N. Weaver, chief of the coast artillery, had recommended the construction of 16in 60-calibrß guns for 1 the new fortifications at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, says the Scientific American. Such a piece would be superior to the 15in naval guns on every point of comparison. The Elswick 15in naval gun fires a 19251b shell with a muzzle velocity of 2500 ft per second and a muzzle energy of 83.425 foot tons. A coast defence 50-calibre 16in piece, firing a 25001b shell with equal velocity, would have a muzzle energy of well over 100,000 foot tons; moreover, because of the high degree of elevation which could be given, it would greatly outrange the 15in gun. In view of the extraordinary increase in fighting ranges developed during the war, it will be good policy to mount some 16in gun at all our existing defences, and particularly at Panama, aud in the Philippines.