DEFECTS OF THE NAVY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1166, 29 July 1885, Page 3

DEFECTS OF THE NAVY.

One of the points, says the "Pall Mall Gazette," most insisted upon by " One who Knows the Facts " was the scandalous lack of dock accommodation in our naval stations abroad. Between Malta and Melbourne there is not a dock large enough to take in a first class man-of-war, and what is the result? Something has gone wrong with the machinery of the Euryalus, our flagship on the East Indian station, and although she is by no means one of our largest ships, not even being armor-clad, she has to be towed all the way from Bombay to Malta to be repaired ! Just think what that would mean in war time. That is by no means the only unpleasant reminder afforded us of the state of our navy. The ironclad Monarch, of our Mediterranean fleet, left Port Said on March 28th, for Malta. She could not go more than eight knots, and the second day her shaft bearings began to show signs of stress. Her speed was reduced, but on the third day pulverised brass began to wash into the ship, the end of the shafting began to droop, and the engines had to be stopped 250 miles off Malta. There she lay to, sending up signals of distress, and it was not until next day that she sighted a friendly steamer, which undertook to tow her to Malta. After going 220 miles, the steamer's bunkers were empty, and the Monarch was again left like a log on the water, until another steamer took her into port. The report concludes thus— "It is stated that the chief engineer had already reported to the Admiralty that the condensers of the ship had been very troublesome for the past two years ; indeed, the fact was very well known, but no effect resulted from the engineer's report."