THE AUSTRALIA OBSOLETE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18051, 27 September 1920, Page 6

THE AUSTRALIA OBSOLETE

TO BECOME A TRAINING SHIP,

(Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.) T . SYDNEY, September 35. It is being freely stated in tho newspapers, end apparently with the warrant of authority that tuo AueUalian floot is to bo completely reorganised, in which process much of its glory will depart. The battle-cruiser Australia, which now lice off Farm Cove, her great bulk making her ono of the most roinarkabl© objects in tho harbour, ia to bo no longer tho flagship of the- Australian navy. Sho is to become a training ship, and to bo removed to tho more humble waters of Hose Bay (where young man o'-waremen arc trained). The fact is, in epito of her snxart appearance, she is obsolete. All her sister-ships, except tho New Zealand, have boeu placed by the British Admiralty in the ob3olote class. The Australian navy's flagship ia to be tho Melbourne, one of tho light cruisers. The maintenance of the Australia costs tho commonwealth about £300,000 a year, and it is hoped to eavo this—for a year or two, at any rate, until further defence measures Lie considered necessary. Tho three-furmellod cruiser imcounter—often seen in New Zealand porta —which was lent to Australia by the Admiralty, and whose principal duty durin<* the past few years has been to show the flag in tho various Australian porte, is now regarded as hopelessly obsolete, and is to be returned to tho Adimralty. The Australian warships remaining m commission will then compriso only the light cruisers Melbourne, Sydney, and Bnsbano. A sister ehip, the Adelaide was launched at Cockatoo Island two years ago, but work has proceeded very slowly on War ended, ttnil Bho is Btm nn -- At the moment tie Australion navy incudes 12 destroyer*. Six of these ar7very old-although they did great work in the Mediterranean during the war-and they are b°v u Th * ° ther six were presented by the Admiralty after the war, and they will remain m commission. The four submarines presented to Australia after the war &*£?♦ eh , A £ nu * lty (to take the P ]ace of tne two Australian submarines lost during the war) will be kept in full conrmiesion. A number of auxiliary vessels, such as mineeweepere, wxll not bo scrapped, but will not be fully m commission. It is eaid that these decisions have been taken m order to effect much-needed economies. It is also eaid that the Naval College at Jervis Bay-the establishment of which cost some hundreds of thousands of poundsis to be practically abandoned—a step which would make Australia, again dependent on Britain for naval officers. The disappearance of the Australia, which ooa X. so mucin will bo rather a blow to the public—but the latter console themselves with the reflection that she saved her cost over and over again in 1914, when she forced the Soharnhorst end Gneisenau to keep at s. respectful distance.