THE ABANDONED BATTLESHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8177, 9 August 1906, Page 3

THE ABANDONED BATTLESHIP.

A LESSON' FOR TltK ADMIRALTY. Revived 8, 11. U p.tn. Paeis, Angus l . 8. Commenting on the loss of the battleship Montana, the newspapers emphasise the need of a | r >\ier naval salvage corps.

Tho naval correspondent if lie London 'Tribune." ,• mini -nting en ihe Mongu disi-t'.-, make, some interesting [eduction- from tli- caln-jroplie. In pu! i>lii;ig a taY.c -hming the

r centage ot grounding-; to ships of

'l.c Roya! Navy in commission from ISS2 to 11* ■->, tlic e. respondent contend.* that the allegations that th■officers o'the navy have deteriorated as navigators is absolutely groundless. In 18S I, out of 210 ships in commission, Vj touched bottom, a per ecnlago of 23.3 casualties. In IUOS, out of 37'! ships afloat, there were only 2'J casualties, a per centjge of 7.7. And

it must lie remciulcred. he says, tnat t!ie vast mijonty of these casualties were of the mo>t tnlluu character, and in very many casts to sna'i torpedo craft, travelling frequently at very high rates of speed, an 1 in very shoal waters. The percentages vary slightly from year to year, but arc ever lessening until the 21 per cent, of 18S2 has dwindled to the IK per cent of I'JitS. " There is one lesson, however, that the present disaster should teach the Admiralty, and that is the urgent necessity for the immediate establishment of a salvage service within the' navy itself. It is as urgent a peace necessity as is the provision of floating workshops, which have been supplied of late years, with the greatest benefit '0 the fleet. The salvaging of the Howe was one of the greatest engineering feats on record, as will' be that of the Montagu, if it ever !>e accomplished. TLe splendid feat of raising the Sultiii from the bottom of the Mediterranean was successfully performed by an Italian salvage company, and for several years afterwards the resuscitated battleship did duty in the navy,"