"ON THE BRINK."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 789, 12 April 1910, Page 5

"ON THE BRINK."

WORLD TALKS PEACE, BUT MAKES ; READY FOR WAR. SIR G. REID ON NAVY-BUILDING. By Toleeraph—Press Association—Oopyrleht London, April 10. After the launching of the Commonwealth destroyer Yarra, there was a luncheon, at which the Australian High Commissioner (Sir George H«id) was ono of .the speakers. In the course of his speech, Sir George Baid.that regarding tho beginning of an Australian Navy all tho great parties in the Commonwealth held fientical views, 'i'ho world's desiro lor. peace- was never greater, yet it yas strange that the stronger tho statesman's professions ,, of peace, the more extravagant and imid becauio the pace of naval preparations. The secret of this marvellous discrepancy was that we were on the brink of great events, which would throw the world into some dreadful catastrophe or cause a terrih'o strain on its resources that would hasten a general understanding. "The fortunes of the Motherland and her dominions are," continued Sir George, "inseparably intertwined. The people of Australia have no intention, of seeking military or naval adventure; they would be far more delighted if their warships were scrapped 'without firing a shot in anger. But all parts of the Empire realise the responsibilities to the Empire under existing circumstances."

■'"-. TENTH DREADNOUGHT. COLOSSUS LAUNCHED. , '. London, April 10. The Dreadnought-battleship Colossus, a ship of the 1909-10 programme, and of the Neptune type (slightly over 20,000 tons, carrying ten 12-ihch guns, to hear on either beam), has been launched' at Greenock. ■. ~ ■ ;

COALING RECORD. BY A GEEMAN BATTLESHIP. Berlin, April 10.' The crew of the German "battleship Schleswig-Holstein pnt up a fine coaling performance, 700 tone being put on board in 85 minutes.' In an hour 56S tons was taken in. This ia a record.

FRENCH SUBMARINE'S FEAT. MANOEUVRES AT DEPTH OF 105 ,■■-,; FEET, .-■;■ :..'• Parii, April 10. The submarine Ventos, while manoeuvring at. Cherbourg, dived to a depth of 105 ,feet, and continued to travel at that depth for twenty-four minutes. [According: to a British naval writer, the greatest depth to which British submarines go does not exceed 30 feet, but as a rulo they travel 15 feet below the water. The British submarine Dl, in her trials, made ah under-water speed of 12 knots.] -■-..•.-

AUSTRIA'S CONTRIBUTION. TWO DREADNOUGHTS TO BE LAID •' ; . ' \ DOWN. ■, ' (Eec. April 11, 9.35 p.m.). :'' ■ Vienna, April 11. ■■: The battleship Zrinyi,l4Jsoo tons, , will bo launched to-morrow at tho Austrian Adriatic seaport Trieste. ■ Two slips for building Dreadnoughts havo already been prepared, ,and contingent ~! order's have been placed with Austrian firms for gun-mountings. .' ' . • [The, Zrinyi is tho last of the Austrian pre-Dreadnought battleships. The Franz Ferdinand,' the Radetsky, : and the Krinyi, all laid down at Trieste,, have been describod as approximating in armour and displacement to the British Lord- Nelson class. ..The--Lord- Nelson; however, is of greater tonnage than that given in the cablegram, her figure being 16,500; she, carries four 12-inch guns, ten 9.2 inch,'and 37 small-pieces. It was some time , ago stated that, following, on the launohing of- these three • Austrian ships, four Dreadnoughts would be put in hand. According to to-day's cablegram not more than .two will be begun.]

THE "EXTRA" DREADNOUGHTS.

The Dreadnought-battleship Colossus, of. the 1909-10 programme, the launching of which is announced in to-day's cablegram, is to .be armed, like her prede-cessors,-with ten 12-inch guns. It has been repeatedly stated that the new quartette of. Dreadnought-battleships, the "extra" four, will carry 13.5 inoh guns; but this is not correct, according to the "Daily Mail." That' paper says :- 'The names of the new Dreadnonghts, their displacements, and the • firms to whom the contracts for them have been awarded are as follow: ■

, ' Tonnage. Type. Build«r. . Thunderer 22,500 Battleship Poplar ■ Monarch 22,500 Battleship Beardmore Conqueror ' 22,500 Battleship Elsmck PriEcess ' ■ . • '"■'", Koyal ... 26,350 Cruiser " Vickers ' The three battleships will each carry ten 12-in. guns, mounted in the centre line, 1 and will steam knots. The Princess Royal will carry eight 12-iu. guns, mounted in the centre line of the ship, ' and will have engines of 70,000horse power, propelling her at a speed of about thirty knots. ■■■'"■ The cost of the four ships with armament will be eight millions.