CRUISER'S LAST DAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 9

CRUISER'S LAST DAYS.

CAREER OF THE SYDNEY.

IN SHIPBREAKER'S HANDS

Shipbreakers are now at work on the cruiser Sydney, which destroyed the German raider Emden off Cocos Island on November 9, 1914. Following the decision cf the Australian Government to scrap the cruiser, orders wero received "at Garden Island to remove her to Cockatoo Dockyard.

The scrapping of the Sydney forms part of a programme of work arranged by the Navy Department at the instigation of the Federal Government, with a view to maintaining a continuity of operations at Cockatoo.

The whole of the dismantling will be done at Cockatoo,, and the scrap metal will be sold locally. The hulk of the vessel, about 3000 tons, also will be cut up and sold bv tender.

"Early in 1927," said the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Bruce, recently, "the Government determined that the Sydney shoud be retained for the present ; but in making the announcement I stated that I was not at the time able to indicate the use to which she would be put. The sentiment that surrounds the vessel because of the distinguished part she playec'l in the Great War, was, of course, the chief factor which animated the decision to retain her temporarily. It was realised that a ship of the construction of the Sydney could not be permanently preserved, and that she would eventually have to be scrapped. "The cost of keeping the Sydney afloat, is £3OOO a year, and this is not justified either by the public interest displayed in the ship since she was put out of commission or by her potential capacity for naval service. In deciding upon the scrapping of the ship, the Government has been influenced not only by these considerations, but also by the,fact that thero is a shortage of work at Cockatoo. In arranging for the dockyard to undertake the scrapping of the Sydney tho Government is assured that the scrapped material will bo saleable at a profit and that continuity of work at the dockyard 1 will be provided."