THE NAVY AND THE PACIFIC.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 203, 21 May 1908, Page 6

THE NAVY AND THE PACIFIC.

BATTLESHIP SQUADRON INDISPEN- . SABLE? Despite the better feeling boiween England and Russia (writes the Sydney "Telqgraph". London correspondent), ■ it, is argued by those deply interested :in"Britisli! naval supiemacy —which is our very .breath .and,t-Jifc-rtliat, a British battle squadron .will/ b| indispen-, sable--'-in Pacific voter's''in less fhaii tliyee years from .the. present time. - Apart,,from, the fact that Russia is regaining her weak-, ohed naval, power, the treaty, between Great Britain'! and. Japan will expire , in a couple of. years.' aiid the result may bo a now. naval policy -in those c eis •It was the victory of Togo that released the British battle squadron in the Far East. ..... : ; : ,The > new- armoured, .cruiser Indomitable, which was' laid down at the works: of ■ the Fairfield Shipbuilding;.and Engineering Company, -Limitedj at Glasgow,-'on March. 1,1906, andlaunched in April last, year, is about, to carry out her; steam, gunnery, and. torpedo trials,, which' will -occupy, till the 1 end.of the month, and from which good results arc an-. tieipated;' The "Indomitable 'is' one; of the; three "cruiser Dreadnoughts",on the 1905-6 programme." Her dimensions are as follow:—Length, 530 ft.'; beam, 78ft. 6in.; mean draught,- .-26 ft."; • 17,25.0 ,[toiis. ■ Her main 1 armament.,consists of, eight ,12in. guns, so disposed that; all can be brought" to bear on either broadside, and-.her Parsons' turbines aro estimated to ' develop . 41,000 horse power, and to give her a speed .of >2s. [knots. Her total • cost, excluding armament storos, is £1,645,375. . .