NAVAL MATTERS

Southland Times, Issue 17658, 16 February 1916, Page 5

NAVAL MATTERS

THE ADMIRAL CZ&BNEB, LOSS OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) PARIS, February 14. The loss of the cruiser Admiral Charner is officially confirmed. A raft was found off the coast of Syria bearing tire bodies of fifteen of the crew, one being alive. He states that the cruiser was torpedoed at seven in the morning of February 8, and sank in a few minutes. They were unable to launch the boats. ONLY ONE SURVIVOR 389 LIVES LOST PARIS. February 15. Received February 15. 11.4 5 p.m. Apparently there is only one survivor of the Admiral Charner out of 370 aboard. IHE ABETHUSA HONED. TEN LIVES LOST. LONDON, February 14. Official ; The Arethusa was mined off the Hast Coast, and it is feared that she will become a total wreck. Ten lives were lost, ABETHUSA A SHOW SHIP LONDON, February 14. Received February 15, 8 p.m. The Arethusa was familiar to the public as she was frequently used as a show ship when correspondents visited the Fleet. Captain Domvile, the Arethusa's captain, is the son of the famous Admiral (Sir Compton Edward Domvile, Com-mander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, 1902 —5) and was married last week. lie had just completed his honeymoon.

The Arethusa is one of eight of the Arethusa class, completed in 1914. Those are the light armoured cruisers which Mr Churchill has described as "destroyers of destroyers." They displace 3GOO tons, are 410 ft long, and have turbines of 37,000 h.p., giving a speed of 30 knots. The armament consists of two Uin, six 4in. and four machine guns, with four torpedo tubes. There is a belt of Sin. armour amidships, witli 3% in. plating above this. The boilers are fired entirely by oil fuel, of which about 750 tons are carried. Tlie complement numbers about 270 officers and men. The cost of this class Ims not yet been made public.

The Aretlnisa has won distinction in •several onsiißoments .since the outbreak of tlie war. She was only commissioned a lew days before the war as an emergency ship, and the officers and crew did not know each other. She went into action practically at once, taking a leading part in tile Heligoland fight on August 2S. when she assisted in sinking the Mainz. Her speed was reduced to 10 knots, and many of her guns were put out of action in tiio light. The Aretlnisa reappeared in connection witli the British aerial raid on Cuxhaven, being one of the destroyers protecting the cruiser convoy.