AUSTRALIA'S NAVY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16201, 26 November 1926, Page 11

AUSTRALIA'S NAVY

TWO NEW CRUISERS INSPECTION BY PREMIERS (Elec. Tel. Copy right-United Presa Assn.) (Australian and JN'.Z. Cable Aesocintion.i (Received November 26, 5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. Glasgow provided one of its most dismal days, a log and drizzle prevailing for the visit of the Dominion Prime .Ministers. Mr. Coatcs and his parcy travelled earlv and separately from Edinburgh. Mi.' Bruce and the others followed later.

They were welcomed at A hereon way by Sir Thomas Bell, chairman of Messrs. jJriAvn and Co., whoso works at Clydebank the visitors inspected, and: where they saw the cruisers Australia and (anberra.

The bull of the Australia is completed, and she will be launched iu February, and commissioned a year later. The Canberra will be launched in May. Work has been held up owing to the strike, and the Jack of material. The. cruisers will include the latest- improvements, in the language, of an Australian officer aboard, " they will be the most- efficient fighting machines permitted by the Washington Treaty.'' Mrs. Bruce, aboard the Australia, started the electrically-driven machinery for planing the edges of the gun turret base, and took away the first shavings of ihe process. The party later saw the boilers and the complete turbine unit for the new high-speed cruisers. Three Australian naval engineering officers, Commanders Ross and Meal's and LieutCommander Carr, a brother of "Slip" Curr, the athlete, were presented to Mr. and Mrs. Bruce. Later Mr. and Mrs. Bruce and Mr. Monroe were entertained by the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce representatives at luncheon at Brown's works, where there was a, large attendance. Mr. Bruce- was unexpectedly called on to speak, and delivered one of the most forceful speeches for Empire defence by the Dominions who, he said, claimed the rights ancKprivileges of status defined by the Imperial Rotations committee, and must shoulder corresponding burdens. Mr. C'oates and his party in the morning inspected Arrol's works at Bridgetown, which recently received £1,500,000 order for steel work for New Zealand's railway workshops. They also saw turbines and locomotives which were specially steamed up to give the visitors a ride to Beardmore's where they saw the engines of the new airship. All the Dominions' representatives took lea at the University, and in the evening attended a dinner as guests of the Glasgow Corporation.;;