The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1906.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12905, 17 February 1906, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1906.

THE BRITISH NAVY. p ; The Bloc Boot jrahlaibed a few <day* before Mr Bailf<«r reaigoed contain* <me <tf the sui*t jnt*»«;*tJng and imjiorlant Kla.l*}»)rti:t* ; : ever in o<«m«cti<>n -with British naval fK»licy. During the la«t t*-:» year* i; vT m v<rv great reform* (have t»en ills' Srod-oced itrfo the navy, and nde»iific method* ar« now Relieved to* marl; the ad~ ' jrijtijmraijr* jwliey jKirKtwd in thiw vii;»l3jr rmpwixti'. branch «4 the Umpire* 4efendive . mathitirrv. A good *seal of attention i* «kffl*d 3« it he IMw Booh referred to* above ' in the n«m- programme <»f Khinlrufldiiig »id«nl*d % lie British Admiralty, and it - ■ i* thi* pwlioa «if the {publication that i* »&re than ttfoalrr interesting. If. appear* shaft the Admiralty wirfieialx rtm»ijfl«r that at the prernii time vtrulocic req-uiretncoi* • tiecf-w-i1.a,1 c an <mt}>vl *>f f«ur large .arm wed ! t-hip»- annually, and, wlew *mf<*M*pieo c<«i- •. linger* rie* *i.Ti««, tin* smmlwr "will vtft l»e-------»wW. The jtcncxj occupied in 1»oiW in? *»»clj tJnm i* t<-> be two yenw, ond' ahercft re. a* four *hiw «.i« !<♦ be laid <kwn «»irb v<»ar. (there will .«?■ «*>v given lime ■ J 1 he «*ight «Wp* in jiroccnn **f rtt*nt.trncti<m. ' If the wntingmcie* in«itjf«>ed vhoiild oriKC. there veil], it sjnHsarn. be n» •diffkrulty in ■. providing f f <r the itu'reawd number ( >f battleship* ibfreby rendered nercmiry. * Fr»r the power **f rapid -conKtrocti'tti j"* (i *e*xed by Britain in virtue of ibe number if <if her t.hrpbtiilding yard* and tlw ♦'kill : *if }ifi -w-flrlimen wfll al-way* a. greatly accelerated pa.ee to* V adopted in : naval c-nn*tnu;ticKi wh«M»v«r required. The : f»liniat«- f«r Il>e current y«ar. it may 1»& rcmsrlted. ar* £3»StXLQOO \nA»v,- tlmnc f<>r I.hp prcvione year- and u further redtJctimi »f £3.5»0O,OO0 f<w ocrfc year na* jilrßady fe«cn roctuninended. ll i* «s.ti«fad-<«7 t« 3f.ara iJiat ihcue neductit«tiK liav* noen firovcd <jf lay jh» 3w* «» a.ull»(»rity HJhaai a \ Sir -T«hn riiiber, lie Mmiral of i3>* f*»rt, *b» na* grrfco Jt a* s>i* x)f)iaifm l3iat iJie ; ytrwtKwed redurticnw 'wrere *«(Wi»<on»nt with i the fighting efficiency «i the fiwst 4i»d B ?; it* sn*i.ant readinens for waa - . Wiietker | ibtm *r3l b§ aay »d«ctlwQii «tili I sad now 3 nog l3»e» redvoed wrtaMMte* wjll i be waintain&d at liefif j*»«aA «SQ i dClwoid, of cMtr**,. ott . li« deftilapßßßnl* | that talt* place ia oboDectaaa trith the I f:hi|vb]iiXdi&g progTjfflaaw of foreign P-wer*. j; hx regard to Bie b»t«3 reforms ftfctt h*w> I been Kach aa impnftwit fca*tr» «fib* I pa»a iwx» yew«, it may lb* »«id briefly | that the British navy La* aour Wcntne « i f«r«t» of linked unit* giving floncentratitss : *4 f<»rcc and ■wf wtrcngth, -wliereaii |>re*j- : «>tuKly it i«>n(ijißt<>d jtraotically <»f a situnber tif nq-nadrtian ncalttaied Towvi the irttrld ta>dci' n'» fcietttific |»lao of naval utrujiegy „ : A v<ry »T3cci«Kfml reform ha*, it in KtaJbed, r*eea ny toe wrutem of sntun-l-ainiflg Jvjterre nqwadnmn mfttmed by »«, ~* clcr* wear* and aJw*jr» ready f»r aistiv* .wr*"if!e. -i. tnmiber «f nutele** Wh.ij>» iiaving l»<-.wi jnji **»t <4 mnaanvintm aund ftihieir cmsrr nq-uairon. Another imjtortwit innoratic»ri in the JDlroductwo of vlxat it called " the .ctßcmaa «sry tdhom* 1 " trii^

the education of riv- : officers, by which scheme all: young iis.vjJ'.spirants receive the same -training ;;;::ii' i.a&y reach the raak of snb-lieuteid:•:-:. after which, stage they are required u> lake up specialised work, such, as engiii&jfing, gunnery, and marine or torpedo work. An officer continues .it his chose;. ■ f-.-ciaJised duty until he attains'the .rank or commander, when he lias the choice of continuing in his special line or of resuraing the purely executive .work. .If iie adopts -the latter alternative,' it is 'open'--'is bim to attain eventually to the of a ship or. a fleet. An espec-id i-aprovement is the elevation of gunnery .l-n.v/hat- naval critics have pointed out is k? nme place—namely, the most- important R?.: ■far-rsaching branch of naval trainings The principle of competition between .* -lij:-:-. .squadrons, and fleets h'as/.teeh'ibi-rjgn; ivAo operation, and target practic? is carried out on a systematic plan uiku-t the supervision of a specially appointed inspector. ... The above are the principal point.s t> be - noted in the official statemtnl; r--' the reforms by "which a thoroughg;ing s-Uempt has been

made to render the ; ; a.vY s'Kcient and up-to-date., As supporting" tjbe claims, made in -U>e Admiralty's staiejiK-nfc, it is of in-- " of the leadong German, naval critics, in an. article on th-e- 'BvitisL Navy, gives unqualified -a/d:miratic.i:. fr.- -the organisation that distinguishes Britain's first line of defence. The sea is covered by a. chain,

of squadrons from the North Sea to Gibraltar and the Suez Canal, and the same authority comments,favourably on. the fact that the reserve; squadron is-maintained in readiness for instant service. This praise is specially' directed to the fact- that in the British Navy is revealed the principle of centralisation and of the possibility of

uniform dkeetiohv which. Jenders ;it.. able to accomplish the diffictd't task of fulfilling the aims both of war and of peace. The recent promotion of Sir John Fisher to the post of Admiral, of...the.Fleet-enabled the Admiralty to retain his services when he would otherwise have had to retire owing •to having reached the age, limit:' -The benefit-of ihis ripe experience in; naval warfare has made itself manifest' in connection with the reforms enumerated, above, and the retention of his services- is ai step of which''.the wisdom is evident.