THE NEW KING'S WHARF.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 463, 23 March 1909, Page 6

THE NEW KING'S WHARF.

and oxpressing satisfaction that New Zealand was leading the van. Her example would be a danger signal to foes, and another link of loyalty between ourselves and tho Motherland. -Most of the telegrams, however, came from private individuals. _ Somo of them, said the Premier, occupied high and responsible positions, but many others were described as belonging to tho rank and file. Hero aro a few examples:— "Congratulations and admiration for today's epoch-making event." "W T ell done. Better than a million surplus." \ "Congratulations. Step taken will gratify all ih New Zealand." "May a humblo pawn proffer his most respectful approval." . "Congratulations on coming to England's aid with a first-class battleship. When shall our glory fade?"

"I honour you, , an Englishaan." "Hearty congratulations. Bis dat qui cito lat." THE MAYOR'S OPINION. The Mayor ' (the Hon. T. W. Hislop) houg.ht that if Cabinet's decision erred on he side of giving too much, it erred on the iroper side. There was no disguising tho ;ravity of the position in regard to Germany, and it was reasonable that New Zeainid should contribute to the cost of safewarding British superiority. Before tho resent amount of £100,000 a year was fixed, his country gave £20,000 a year, for the pkeep of the Navy, and the additional 580,000 meant tho annual interest on the onstruction and equipment of a Dread:ought and £20,000 towards tho cost of laintenanoo.

docs not favour presenting a Dreadnought, but would increase tlio naval subsidy. Speaking at the citizens' farewell to him at the Town Hall, Sir Harry Rawson, the retiring Govornor, referring to the proposed presentation of a Dreadnought, said he hoped the feeling would spread. Such feeling by the colonics for the Motherland would go farthor towards maintaining tlio peace of the world than any other. He announced that he had received a letter from Mr. Hugh Dixon, tobacco manufacturer, offering £5000 towards the purchase of a Dreadnought. Cardinal Jforan ; interviewed, said he had always been in favour of building Dreadnoughts for Australia. By so doing they would strengthen the British Government's naval projects in a marvellous manner, but ho looked upon the proposal _to' 'give . a Dreadnought to England as a piece of liys-

terical fanaticism, not to say folly. England had money enough to build any number of vessels required, and the whole of the people of tho Empire would correspond in their determination to maintain the supremacy of the nation. To send a ship Home would be like sending coals to Newcastle, whereas securing half-a-dozen Dreadnoughts for the Pacific would benefit this young country and would assist England to maintain the peace of tho world. MR. FISHER ON THE GIFT SHIP IDEA. LOCAL DEFENCE. (Rec. March 23, 0.45 a.m.) Melbourne, March 22. The Federal Prime Minister, Mr. Fisher, in an interview, declared that the great

the British Dreadnought, and of the projected tjpo of modern warship ascribed to Germany, neve published by the "Daily Mail" to illus•ii ? r su Sgestion which apparentlv originated with Mr. Jane. The "Daily Mail" writes: f m 'I a " e ! ,e " e y es "'at the Germans will tor tile fii'st_ time introduce turrets containing three guns ; n place of two. In this way the • e ii I guns to. fire. 011 either broadside — might be managed, but the fire of three guns °J\ e t- urre ' : , would be very slow and not much ,V i 7 > by such a course. He has a sketch plan, showing a ship with sixteen llin. guns firing on either broadsido and eleven firing ahead and astern. Such a vessel would be a very formidable customer for a British Dreadnought; indeed, she should be superior in battle, as slio would have two guns of llin. in action for each one on board the British ship of 12in., and though the British shell is ■heavier, the rapidity of fire with twice as many guns at work on the German side would tell speedily. "Another possibility is that the Germans may introduce two-storied turrets with two llin. guns in each turret. This was a British idea of the 'eighties, first tried in the United States Navy, but since abandoned by that navy. Pour two-storied turrets would mount sixteen llin. guns, and it would not be difficult so to arrange the turrets as to enable all four to fire on either broadside, but a vessel thus planned would be extremely top-heay. "Yet another possibility is that the ships may have six turrets, each carrying two llin. guns, and. so arranged as all to fire on either beam. This is on the whole the most likely, and it would give them a good chance of defeating the British Dreadnoughts, as the British vessels only bring eight 12in. guns to bear on.'the broadside, while the Gorman ships would bring twelve into action—a superiority in number of 50 per cent., though the shell and power of the gun is less."