BRITISH SUBMARINES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20917, 6 January 1930, Page 10

BRITISH SUBMARINES.

NEW VESSEL LAUNCHED. CANCELLING OF AN ORDER. “COST OF THE FUNERAL.” Britain’s latest submarine Phoenix was christened and launched from Cammell, Lairds Birkenhead shipyard on October 3 by the wife of Rear-admiral M. E, Dun-bar-Nasmith, V.C., whose exploit in the Dardanelles 14 years ago as commander of submarine Ell was one of the epics of the war. , J?i 10en * x bas a surface displacement of 1570 tons (2040 submerged). She is one of the six P class boats, and carries a 4iii gun and eight torpedoes. She is the sueccssor of a number of ships of that name Mr w. L, Eichens, chairman of Messrs Lammell, Laird, and Company. Ltd. in a speech, revealed that the Admiralty had cancelled an order for a new submarine named Rupert, which was to have been laid down by his firm, following the launch of Phoenix. “ This submarine died in child-birth, said Mr Hichens, " and wc are squabbling over the funcrai expenses.” ' Politicians,” Mr Hichens continued are seldom right, but they are sometimes. and this may be one of the occasion* on which they are abundantly justified in the action they have taken. As shipbuilders it is wise to hold our tongues about something of which we knew nothing. Therein is the difference between the shipbuilder and the politician.”— (Laughter.) Assuming that the politicians were right —and it was of fundamental importance to the future of the world to reduce armaments—it would bo foolish, said thespeaker, to build warships which were not wanted. To justify it on economic grounds and argue that it was one way to solve the unemployment problem was foolish, for underlying the suggestion was the idea that perhaps they would come in useful some day. Take away the assumption, and it waa_ foolish to build a ship which most certainly would not be wanted when finished:

Armament firms throughout the country. said Mr Hichens, had been hard hit, and few people understood what an extra ordinarily difficult task they had had since the war. Their means of livelihood had been taken away, and they had been obliged to find new activities in a period 01 difficulty. Before the war Cammell Lairds shipyard at Birkenhead was primarily a warship yard; to-day Admiralty orders were as far apart as the stars and yet the yard was fuller than at any previous time. Instead of howling for more Government work because of unemployment, they had secured mercantile marine orders, and hoped this year to complete a record number of launchings.