CRUISER MODERNISED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23431, 22 August 1939, Page 6

CRUISER MODERNISED

COMMONWEALTH FLEET SUM OF £650,000 SPENT STRONGER FIGHTING POWER [from: our OWN* cohrespondent] SYDNEY. Aug. is The modernisation of the cruiser Australia at a cost of £650,000 Trill bo completed this month and her steam and gunnery trials will take place off the New South Wales coast in September. A belt of armour has been_added to the sides of the her to withstand heavier guffiire, and to the deck to give protection to vital machinery. About 140 miles of new* electrical wires have been installed, of. which 4i miles are multi-cord. The firing power of the cruiser lias been greatly increased by almost rebuilding the bridge to accommodate the latest fire-control arrangements for the eight _B-inch guns and other armament. To permit of the installation of four twin 4-inch high-angle anti-aircraft guns to meet high-flying attack the top gun deck has been removed. Tiropounder "pom-poms" have been installed to aid the machine-guns in fighting low-flying aircraft, and the aircraft catapult has been strengthened to launch heavier aircraft and boats. Special tanks have been installed to carry petrol for aeroplanes and boats. The machinery has been overhauled. Similar modernisation will be begun on the sister ship Canberra about the end of the year. The work on .the Australia gave employment to an average of 700 men for 16 months. By working shifts and overtime tho work was accelerated by at least four months.