DOCKING OF DREADNOUGHTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 906, 27 August 1910, Page 5

DOCKING OF DREADNOUGHTS.

ADMIRALTY ORDERS AN INQUIRY. .By Telegraph—Prese Association—Copyright London, August 25; The Admiralty has ordered an. inquiry regarding the dockyards and naval ports, with a view to their reconstruction and reorganisation. In the provision of docks for Dreadnoughts, Britain has fallen far /behind Germany, so far as, concerns the North Sea. Tho British docks available or constructing on , tho North Sea are (1) theHebbnrn dry dock at Newcastle, which will only accommodate a Dreadnought after she has been lightened; (2) two dry ducks, tho construction of which has only just commenced at Rosyth, and which will not be completed till 1914 at tho earliest; (3) two floating docks, ordered in 1300. At Portsmouth there is only ono dry dock capable of taking a Dreadnought, and it is at present very difficult of access, though a new dock,.giving an easier approach to it, is under construction. At Southampton arc 2 docks, at- Devonport 3, at Haulbowlino 1, Avonniouth 1, Birkenhead 2, Liverpool 2, making, with .the docks already enumerated, a grand total of 17 docks, built or building, capable of accommodating Dreadnoughts.. Unfortunately, most of these 'are remote from the North Sea. The following aro German docks now complete or building.

1. On the North Sea (9).-At Wilhelmshaven, 3 dry (locks, completo; at Bremerharon, 1 dry dock (private) complete; at Hambnrg, 3 floating (private), complete; at Brun'sbuottel, 2 dry docjes, building. 2. On the Baltic—At Kiel, 2 dry docks, 1 floating. Tive other docks are projected, ,but, so far as is known, no work.has yet been done on them.