MEDITERRANEAN MONSTERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 571, 28 July 1909, Page 7

MEDITERRANEAN MONSTERS.

'EIGHT DREADNOUGHTS FOR ITALY AND AUiMRIA. (Roo. July 27, 10.fi" p.m.)' London, July 27. Italy and Austria-Hungary havo now declared a definite programme, consisting in each case of four largo armoured ships of tho latest type. Ono of theso has already been laid down by Italy, and tho second will bo laid down immediately. The remaining two will also bo begun in 1909. .... Austria-Hungary's programme of four js equally a reality, inasmuch as two of the ships have been ordered, and a floating dock is'under construction. ; BRITAIN AND THE TRIPLICE. DREADNOUGHT POWEE COMPAEED. Britain's four '"contingent Dreadnoughts" aro tho second four mentioned iny tho Navy Estimates. The Estimates, it will he remembered, provided for. four Dreadnoughts to bo laid down this year; and further—if later information as to other programmes indicated the necessity— for taking all necessary steps to lay down four inoro Dreadnoughts (tho ."contingents") in April, 1910. "We shall know more in July," said Mr. Asquith. July has now arrived, and the Government, "after a very anxious and careful examination of the conditions :pf naval shipbuilding in foreign countries," has decided in favour of the contingent four. That means a, programmo of eight Dreadnoughts, 'four of which will, as far as laying-down is concerned, fall in tho next financial year. Adding theso eight to the eight afloat or.building,' Britain will thus have sixteen Dreadnought-battleships complete by March, 1912. ' Adding ■. again_ the' four.-Indomi tables, or Dreadnought-cruisers, Britain will have' twenty Dreadnoughts completo by March, 1912. As.against this twenty, Germany will, according to German official statements,' have thirteen Dreadnoughts, by March, 1912; and-it has.been argued that, by moans, of improved "conditions of naval shipbuilding"; and acceleration of programme, Germany'can and will have .seventeen Dreadnoughts by March, 1912. The British Government's final deoision .to proceed'with the io\ii contingents will no doubt bo construed as strongtheiing tho theory .that seventeen,is Germany s correct number. Austrc«!talian Factor.' To-day's cablegrams further show that Aus-tria-Hungary and, Italy havo each a programme of four latest-typo armoured ships, or eight in all. When will they bo completed? -' ltecont writers at Homo have suggested that thoy; will bo ready by .tho eud of 1912. That is not March,. 1912; but still they count. Taking Britain's Dreadnoughts in ; 1912 as; being 20 in number, and Germany's, as being .13 (tho official ;or'lower. number) the eight Austrian and Italian battleships—if give tho Triple Alliance 21 as 'against 20. If Britain did mot press on the four "contingents," tho : Alliunce would, on this hypothesis, count 21 lotost modern fighting machines as against-16 British. This arithmetic —hypothetical but sufficiently ominous—has been strenuously urged, on tho British' Government by the big navy party; and now the, four "contingents" ate to proceed... '■■'■ .'_ ' \ , 'It is the sudden rise of tho Anstro-Italian big ship clement, or ati any rate tho Austrian half of it, that has': caused.many .English writers to. point ■■ to tho' British colonies as ; the -, ■ needed, countar-balancing force,, and ;as being,. i ndced, :tho only, means of attempting;to maintain .a two-Power standard. Lord K'oseliery. summed lip .the position as 'ho "bursting out of navies everywhere," Mr. H. W. Wilson vrrites:-— • What Austria Might Do. . "An' Austrian Fleet in tho Mediterranean, witU'no forcb to koltl it in check, would have Malta, Cyprus,.and, Egypt., at its. mercy:" Ausr tria would find, not the .slightest difficulty in dispatching; an, .'.expeditionary force.to any <tf. these points',' and once in .control of Egypt: and. dominating, the' Suez: Canal she could dispatch, her 'smaller'.ships, to. attack,commerce prcceod■ing; by,;, the; Capo' route to India. '.. It is thus quite clear that, in wara powerful 'British Fleet; must be stationed in tho Mediterranean, unless the British people are piepared to sse their Commerce destroyed, .their communica-. t'ions with. tho East interrupted, their fortresses iii tho' Mediterranean one by one' at-1 tac'ked"ftnd^cantltl'ed, , ''an^'terilbl'e n against their Empire.' In Nelson's days, whenj the British • JNnvjj.. was too weak., to, meet, the doiiiaiids of defeiico.and commerce 'protection, it abandonod the; Mediterranean.,'. 'But;' conditions s have changed so ; completely! as to render this impossible .to-day. ; The Austrian personnel isal.OOO-'strong,.'n'nil:'.in'';.wnr' the mobilisation of: the- Reserves would expand its strength to 30;000. ;- Tho 'training and organisation; of the Alistrian ,Fleet:.ni-e.: remarkable;' the.' ships are :\kept , in "excellent order,': and manoeuvre .we 11..'...:;....' . .'■'■-.; ■'''•.'■■.•■'. -.'■■■:.•.•:■•■'■'•..,'•- '

. "With a Navy' which will certainly bo, the most efficient in. the Mediterranean, in the near future, unless,-Britain suddenly awakens from; her '.'slumber,- the ' Austrian Government may' reasonably ;.enterliiin dari.Hß.ambitions. ' No-op-position- ls'to b'b feared from Franco so': long as the French Army is distinctly weaker:than the German,: .and: is not 'certain ofßussian support. -Italy-alone, or oven in' combination with France, is hardly strong: enough to resist. Gorman-Austrian', pressure; indeed, Italian naval ' officers declare '.that the Italian 'coastline will bo absolutely at tho mercy of.tho new Austrian ships when these are completo, unless tho Italian Navy is reconstructed, and .'reotgpdsed. ...tt'looks,- thoh,. as ..though:, when ,the fatal hour conies, Austria could/take what sue wanted in the Near East,-and once moro dictate her terms as,in the recent. Balkan crisis, •while-if a storm should arise in-the.north of Europe." her powerful ■ new navy • will bo ■ a... terrible menace arid, embarrassment to any enemy of her.. ally, Germany." : . .' ■■■-;>.. BRITISH DREADNOUGHTS. THEIR ORDER OF PROCESSION. • 'The twenty British Dreadnoughts can best be divided into five groups of - four'each:— .. (a) 1 The four Dreadnought-battleships in commission—Dreadnought, Bellerophon, Tenierairo, and: Superb ; : .'■'.;'■:'■■■'.'„■ .-..■'■•.■■■''■'■. "•-?-., : '.. , ' :; '.•',:■■ ' (b)' The r . four Dreadnought»battlesliips" building—St. Vincoit,.- Collingwood, Vanguard,--and, Neptune. ... ' ': ; .....:.*. '■ . (c) The: four' Dreadnoughts of 1909—the Hercules arid three others. ' '(d) Tho'four "contingents" now to bogono on with, laying-down date; April, 1810..-•! .. ■' ' , '(e) The four Indbmitriblos (battleship-cruiser type) of which v the • Indomitable,•'.' Invincible, and Inflexible.are in commission, arid the Indefatigable (improved vessel) .is building. : ts regards 'Vr-tho 1909 quartet, includ- : the Hercules—the following particulars of tlio new vessel and,of the original Dreadnought show how this class of battleship -has dei.-' .'.)'.;.;'.,-■■;.-'■':• . Dreadnought '<'•■'• Hercules. Length ..490ft ........ 500 ft.. Beam' .....:.. -82ft.'' 86ftDisplacement, 17,900 tons ...„.,..-20,000' tons. 12-inch guns ............ 10 ..„„..,...„. 10 The most noteworthy feature of the new vessel's dimensions is her beami ■ ' It is said that the "contingents" will go one • better; again; . Last month Mr. H. ; W.,Lucy stated that the great guns and, heavy mountings'for these ships were already in hand. Ho added: ■■•'•'' . ■ ■■' '■■:■■'- '•'•

"When ; the time comes for laying down'the ships, the Admiralty will be in a position proudly to justify, a delay of .'some' months by pointing to improvements that.,will mako the four new : ships in degree as great an advance upon the, present Dreadnoughts as fighting forces -as was' the' famed- progenitor upon its predecessors in the Navy. ~-■