NAVY-BUILDING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 458, 17 March 1909, Page 7

NAVY-BUILDING.

BRITAIN'S CHEAPER CONSTRUCTION,

COMPARATIVE FIGURES.

TONNAGE RATE OP BATTLESHIPS

[BY TELEGP.ArII-rRESS ASSOCIATION-COftlllOUT.)

(Rcc. March 16, 10.7 p.m.)

London, March 16. Official figures show that tho battleship Vanguard (19,250 tons, 22 knots, 12-inch armour, ten 12-inoh guns) cost £1,624,878, being at the rate of £94 Bs. a ton. The following tablo shows, in comparison, tho cost per ton of tho Vanguard and other modern battleships :— Vanguard, 19,250 tons ... £84 por ton Dreadnought, 17,900 tons ... £100 „ „ King Edward VII, 16,500 tons £89 „ „ Latest French battleship ... £114 „ „ Latest Ceimanbattleship ... £101 „ „ Latest U.S. Battleships £100 „ „ THE DREADNOUGHT BROOD. The Vanguard is the seventh ship of the Dreadnought type; her keel was laid at Barrow last April, and sho was launched last month, there being thus nine intervening months. Iho six preceding Dreadnoughts are:— Months

Tho eighth ship, the Foudioyant, is being built at Portsmouth. Tho Bclleropkon is already in commission. In a speed trial a day or two ago, the Temeraire (built to be a 21-knot boat) did 21.7 knots. The giving out of tho contract for tho Vanguard was delayed pending the decision of the 1907 Hague Conference on the limitation of armaments. Tho Dreadnought, 17,900 tons, has a speed of 21 knots. The Bellerophon, Temeraire, and Superb are sister shins, 15.500 tons, 21 leuots. Tho St. Vincent, Collingwood, and Vanguard mo sister ships, 19,250 tons, 22 knots. Tho Fondroyant will probably be a 22-knot boat of 20,000 tons. The King Edward VII is a second-class battleship of 16,500 tons, IS} knots, built in 1903. The French cost is very high, but it was recently declared that French contractors are prone to conspire in order to secure exorbitant profits. THE CONDITIONAL SHIPS. CONFLICTING VIEWS IN COMMONS. (Reo. March 16, 10.7 p.m.) London, March 16. The Navy Committeo of tho House of Commons, including Liberal Imperialists anil Conservatives, resolved that the commencement of seven Dreadnoughts is necessary during tho coming year, and that another should bo added if it is found necessary; also, that tho postponement of the- building of four Dreadnoughts (that is, the conditional sqtm'lrjn referred to in the Navy Estimates) would place an uuluo strain on the 19101911 programme. Tho Reduction of Armaments Committee resolved that any increase in the Navy Estimates is inexpedient. THE POSITION IN 1911. Writing prior to the appearance of the latest Navy Estimates, the "Daily Mail" stated that the position of the British and German navies in completed ships of tho Dreadnought and Invincible types, ut the end of the years 1909, 1910, and 1911, on existing programmes (though tho British position at tho end of 1911 may be : improved! if speoial provisions are made in the British Estimates of 1909 for laying down th< new programme early in tho year and rapidlj jompleting it) will bo:—

Total ... 2 5 13 The figures for 1911 assume that the German Dreadnoughts to bo laid down in 1909 will be completed in 30 months, according to the calculations used by Mr. Ualfour in the House of Commons. The Navy Estimates just presented to Parliament proposo to coinmenco four Dreadnoughts in 1909-10, and provide for another four, if rcqnired. Tho Estimates state:—"The Government will, if necessary, ask for authority to make preparations for the rapid construction of four more large armoured ships to bo laid down on April 1, 1910, and to bo completed in March, 1912." The Navy Committee apparently holds that, instead of building four Dreadnoughts and holding back fonr as a contingency, tho Admiralty should build seven and withhold only one.

buildLaid down. Launched, ing. Dreadnought ... Oct., '05 Feb., '06 i Bellerophon ... Dec, '00. July, 07 7 Temerairo ... Jan., '07 Aug., 07 8 Superb Feb., '07 Nor., '07 8 St. Vincent ... Dec, '07 Sept., '08 8 Collingwood ... Feb., '08 Nov., 'OS 9

Complete in December. Items. 1909. 1910. 1911. BritainDreadnoughts 5 7 8 Invisibles ... ... 3 3 i Total ... 8 10 12 Germany— Dreadnoughts ... ... 2 i 10 Invincible 0 1 3