OUR AUXILIARY FLEET

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1560, 17 May 1887, Page 2

OUR AUXILIARY FLEET

So far as England and her colonies ara concerned (says the " Home News,") the importance of having m time of war a fleet of eteamera of the highest class, privately owned, &i an auxiliary to the navy, cannot be over-estimated. Either as transports, to p -rry troops to our distant possessions; or aa pruiaera, for the protection of oar commerce and the deatrucr tion of an enemy's, their Bsrvlcea would be Invaluable. A short time ago certain ships of the graat line Bwere hired ODder an Admiraliiy subvention, and were converted into fast armed cruisers. The war source passed away, and with it their chance of employment. Now, however, it ia stated that the Goeerament have agreed upon a policy which, Jf properly oarried out, will give much satisfaction throughout the Empire. Lord George Hamilton proposes to enrol the great steamers m obligatory service to the British Government. They will be put m a condition to take the aeas either as transports or cruisers m ten days at the moat, and the question of cost will be solved by a co-operation between the Admiralty and the Post Office. It is also said that' no vessel will be included m the pew auxiliary fleet which can steam less than IS knots. Thjs, however, is too high a speed, and can only be attained }>y some half a dozen of the great ocqnn liner's Seventeen knots may fairly be made the limit, and this, which would give us vessels belonging to the Cunard, Orient, and Guion lines, would make our auxiliary fleet more powerful than the combined strength m that particular of the other great maritime States of the WorJ4 _ i..