TARGET FOR BATTLESHIPS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1928, Page 11

TARGET FOR BATTLESHIPS

SHIP WORKS WITHOUT CREW WIRELESS CONTROL OF CENTURION FORMERLY SUPER-DREADNOUGHT. (British Official Wireless). Rugby, Oct. 9. Inspection was permitted yesterday at Cromarty, Perth, of H.M.S. Centurion, formerly one of the finest superDreadnoughts in the Navy, but now serving a a target ship for the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sleets. Although she appears to be but a useless hulk and is completely disarmed, she is capable, under radio control, without a man aboard her, of travelling at 16 knots, starting, stopping and turning as desired, and in every way simulating the manoeuvres of a fully manned battleship. Wireless control not only manoeuvres her steering, but also her steam valves as required, and regulates her oil fuel. The Centurion has been severely battered in gunnery practice but, owing to a system of protection adopted when the vessel was put to its present use, her vital parts remain intact and almost impregnable. A belt of steel protects her for several feet above the water line. Her crew forsake her at the last moment before practice begins and are then accommodated in the old destroyer Shikari. When her duties as a target ship are temporarily over the crew reboard the Centurion and the work of repairing their quarters begins. Every part of the vessel bears evidence of merciless bombardments, for when the fleet makes mimic war the'Centurion is victimised twice in a week.