FATE OF GERMAN FLEET.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16448, 29 May 1919, Page 4

FATE OF GERMAN FLEET.

SIX POINTS ABOUT ITS DISPOSAL,

Concerning the fate of the surrendered German warships, the following official information was recently given out;— First.—lt would take three years to break up the ships, and the junk would bring only about £400,000. Second.'—Any country taking over the, ships would face insuperable obstacles to find spare parts. Third.—The ships are now obsolete. Fourth.—Their use as merchantmen is impossible owing to their enormous coal consumption and the difficulty of adapting their interiors to merchant Fifth.—The idea of sinking the ships for breakwater purposes has been proved impracticable by experiments made at Scapa Flow. Sixth.—lf the ships are divided among the Powers, some basis of division must be found. It lias been suggested that they ho divided according to losses in the war or on the basis of the present naval strength of the Powers.