THE NAVY AND DOCKS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13945, 28 April 1909, Page 2

THE NAVY AND DOCKS.

SERIOUS POSITION IN THE WEST OF ENGLAND. CHINA AND AUSTRALL4.N STATIONS. By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright LONDON, April 27. * (Received April 28, 8.20 a.m.) The Hon. Reginald M'Kenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, in reply to questions in the House of Commons, admitted there was not a single dry dock on the east coast of Britain where a Dreadnought could enter if drawing more water than usual owing to some watertight compartments having been flooded, though there were docks in Germany with this capacityv He added s ,that the Government was considering tho question of the construction of floating docks on the oast coast. The Hon. Mr. M'Kenna was heckled about the absence of first-class battleships on tho China and Australian stations. - J Tho Admiralty, he said, was expediting the building of the Neptune, which would he launched in August instead of Octobflß, enabling a successor to he laid early in November.