WELLINGTON'S DOCK.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 644, 22 October 1909, Page 8

WELLINGTON'S DOCK.

,' :; '. is.it large enough; j . Something of a problem; has to he faced by 1 rthe.authorities in.regard to the dock'now in ( course of construction. . When the dock was de- j signed, only a few years ago, it was intended to make provision i'or'the largest in t existence, but in the .interim—and the vlock has not been completed yet—an unprecedented i development has taken place in the diinen- t . sions of "our ships of war, witfi the result that, 1 the dock will not be able to contain the largest i of them, and it is considered that its utility, c as a consequence, is naturally lessened. The. problom is a serious one, ! and it has been given a good deal of thought in Wellington. Some . local citizens, desire: the dock broadened and ■ lengthened, necessary, to .meet the altered j state .'of affairs. It is pointed out, too, tint ' one or morft Dreadnoughts may, in the course c of time, come to these waters, and there, will be I no dock with the necessary accommodation. It J is, contended that neither' the.' Calliope' Dock, ' i-Auckland, nor. the dock at'Hong-Kong is suf- £ ficicntly large'to. deal with the litest specimens ■{ I.of naval architecture...' ..:■;■ . ' . ' : ' With these views in mind,-a deputation from J the' Wellington branch of the Navy League * waited on tho Harbour Board.: The deputation s consisted of Mr. G. W. Shirtcliffc, Colonel ° Hume, Captain Edwin, Captain A. V. Jones, a and Messrs J. B. HarcouH, J. 11. Richmond, ° and C. W. Palmer. It was pointed out that v the 1909 edition.of Jones's "Fighting -Ships" f clearly showed that Wellington. Dock would re- t quire widening to the extent of ten feet if ac- B commodation was to bo provided for ships of " the ■ Indefatigable class, from which class are ? to be taken future ilußships' for the l'acilio v Squadron. The deputation asked the board to s inquire into the whole matter, , and ascertain if n the British and Now Zealand Governments '■ would participate in the increased expenditure * involved in offocting the alteration. ../ ■- •] During tho discussion that-followed it w.".9 J 'stated that' there was a proposal to construct d a (lock'at Freniantle, Western Australia, to c provide accommodation for the largest' vessels - ,1 likely to.be launched, but it was pointed out ° that evqn if this' dock' was proceeded with it ° was over.3ooo. miles from.Now Zealand, nnd it ° would not lessen our moral responsibility;. in s : tho matter. '> ■"■ '■:■■'■- : . ■'' •It was ('ccidod thnt the'. ; boa>d's engineer * should investigate the matter and report to a j 1 fubiro : meeting. ■ ■■:■ , '■' .'■ ■ . » 'I'he Clyde Quay Dock was intended to make provision for tho King, Edward class of battle- P ships, brit since that time ships of the Aga- " momnon and Lord Nelson typo have ijippoarod. "

..:•,./..•■.:••.—— —r : — rrr " ■; . o] Mesers. Yoong, Hobbe,'' and Co., euntlonoers u and seed merchanU, Stratford and Klthani. ad- «" tartlsc UYo.atUftctiTc.pMsctlica lor .enle. ■_; ui