NAVY=BUILDING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 540, 22 June 1909, Page 5

NAVY=BUILDING.

, BRITISH PROGRAMME. A DELAY. FIFTH AND SIXTH DREADNOUGHTS BEHIND TIME. • . . - , (By Telegraph.-Presa Assoclition.-Oonyrlßht.) ' London, June 20. Replying in the House of Commons to Mr. J. T. Midctlemore, Unionist member for North Birmingham, Mr. M'Kenna, First Lord of the. Admiralty, stated that somo delay was expected m the completion of the battlesbipe St. Vincent and Collin'gwood (the fifth and sirth Dreadnoughts), which was originally fixed for next Deoember and March.'' .. • .- " .-■ :

BRITISH DREADNOUGHTS AND DATES. . According to the originar British programme, the dates of beginning and tho dates of completion (actual or-estimated) in the case of the first eight: Dreadnought-battleships, were , as under: ■ ■ l n ■ . . , . Date of Whenßegun. , Completion. Dreadnought Oct., 1905 .:. Oct., 190G ' Bellerophon .., Dee., 1906 ... Mar., 1909 Temoraire ... Jan./ 1007 ... May, IDO9 Superb... ...'Feb., 1007 .„ July, 1009 ■ St. Vincent ... Dec., 1307 ... Deo., 1909. ■ColUng'wood ... Feb., IMB '... Mai., 1910 Vanguard ... April, 1908 .„ May; 1910 .Neptune ....- Jan:, 1909 ... Jan.,' 1911'' After the Neptune came tho four Dreadnoughtbattleships—or perhaps there" may be eight—of' : this year s programme/ Two of these (A and B), according to the • original arrangements, were to be laid down next month, and two more (C and D) in. November next : Allowing two years in each case, A and B should be completed in July,-1911, and C and D in November, 1911 Coming to'Dreadnonght-crnisors, of.the Invin. ciblo and improved Invincible types, the dates of beginning aiid completion are; •". ■■■.-■'.■ "■ ■■ Date of. ... .' '!' Whenßegnn. Completion. .Indomitable ..; Mar., 1006 ... July, 1908 Inflexible ... Feb., 190G ... Oet, 1908 Invincible' ... liar., 1900 1... Mar., 1909 Indefatigable ... .Feb., 1909 .;. -Feb., 1911 4DMIRAL BERESFORD: TO VISIT ;;.\y;\;.. : ; V -'Canada. : .;" -, ■■■. ■ ;■ . ; ■'.'■■'■"..- , London, June 20, Admiral Lord Charles Beresford will visit Canada, in September. ■'■-~'• ■". ~: ; ' LORD BERESFORD AND ''P.ANIC." In April, it was cabled that "Lord Charles Beresford, writing to a Navy League meeting at Bournemouth, wished the League success. in arousing the nation to a sense of its'gravo danger. 'If the country knew the real truth,' said the Admiral, 'there would bo a panic.'" The ■foregoing cablegram,was based on a statement that appeared in Home-papers, but there subsequently appeared a modifying statement. For instance, the "Daily Mail" said: "The Press Association is authoritatively-informed that the letter addressed to'the Rev. E, J. Kennedy. Boscombe, Bournemonth, by Lord Charles Beresford, in which the words, 'If the trnth were known about-the Navy there Vould bo a panic' appeared, was a private, communication written some months'ago,'and tho existence of whioh. had escaped the recollection* of his lordship. The Press Association, adds, It nsay be taken for granted that Lord Charles does not.believe that any panic; wonld serve, the cause of ti. strong Navy; but that, on.the other hand, all parties must bo united in the demand for a strong--Navy."- ';;' .'.••...'. ~■:■, ;.■ ' ",.. ,-.■ .•'- GEFiMAN ACCELERATiON: CAPACITY ;;'('■•; .FpR:GUN-MpUNTiNGS.,v'- J' ; On y May the ."Pall IWI Gazette" published a • remarkable article, in which it said: : "We ere now.'in a position to state definitely that the Kriinp -.firm have .ready ten pits for the trial'of, heavy gun-mountings, and they . are making . rapid, progress , with another eight.. - ~.-„; ■ ■■'■' ■;'■,' "These ten' pits should enable..them to ac- , oomplistt'the'following'work?-'' ,-. '■■,'

• : :.. VUnder ( i ordinary: pressure, thirty gun- . mountings'; per ■; annum or six Dreadnoughts. ",' .' ■!: .'■■•. .■' '■:'■■ ' '"■". ". Putting . on: extra pressure, forty ;guh- . mountings per-annum.- or. ..eight Drcady. '.noughts. :■■ ■■■;''.-'.:' ■'.; --V\ '. ;.v ■'•■.•.-■■•.'■ "When the additional eight pits are ready the figures should ;be:— *•':';■•■"• ■■':''.'■■■, •.'" : . v '" ■■■' "Ordinary pressure, fifty-four gun-mount-■.-,•■.inns■ or eleven Dreadnoughts.; -~'■''• ■ ■'■■■ ' ' Extra pressure, sevcnty-two'_gun-mount-,/ings or,fourteen Dreadnoughts.;' /"";.'■ '■ ./'"The net result is'that in, ;tho course of the Cr.the Germans will possess seventeen slips building Dreadnoughts, with power to turn out -tho. gun-mountings v for .fourteen ,Dreadnonghts per annum." I .. ■■'■. . .■ / Tho .".Gazette" adds 1 " that the ..British 'in-crease-in plant promised by the Government wUI only place British-resources abreast of Germany'and not ahead, of her. Finally the Government is accused of breaking one. of, its pledgesiwith regard-to sun-mountings:^.' ■ ■'.. ' ■ "On 'Maroh 16 Ifr. , M'Kenria said that 'to ensure completion by.July, 1911,"orders for.the speoial ports . willi be. given at onco if the House approves ofltheso Estimates.' >'-■; y- : "Nearly two months, have since elapstd, .and' not one single order for gun-raonntings has yet been given for' the two Battleships to be laid down in July." : - : v ■•'•:','••'- ' ■'. ■ ":■■■. '■ ■: