AUSTRALIA'S NAVY

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1090, 31 March 1911, Page 5

AUSTRALIA'S NAVY

WARSHIP BUILDING IN SYDNEY. By Telegraph—Press Associati-on-Copyrieht (Rcc. March 30, 9.25 p.m.) Sydney, March 30. The Federal Government contemplates building warships locally for the Australian Navy. The Acting-Premier of New South Wales, Mr. Holman, has received a conimupication from the Commonwealth authorities asking whether, and on what terms, a second-class cruiser and three destroyers can bo built at the Government dock at Cockatoo Island.

Mr. Holman, after receiving an assurance that the dock would be able to undertake the work, instructed the Superintendent of the dock to submit a report, i

A remarkable degree of interest is shown in Admiraltv and private shipbuilding circles hero (wrote a London correspondent last year) in the future shipbuilding programme of the Commonwealth Government. It nnnears to bo expected that (he Labour Government will, at an early date, undertake the construction of the various fighting vessels required for Australian naval defence in Australian yards. On this point there is, as one might expect, considerable divergence of opinion. Tho third destroyer, built on the Clyde in sections, which are to be taken to Australia and put together there, will, it floated successfully. • fro a long way to establish the' local building policy. If the Australian Navy built ships in its own Government yards in Sydney Harbour or elsewhere in tho Commonwealth, it would, tho writer continued, presumably work on designs supplied by the British Admiralty. Thus it would sometimes work on designs in advance of anything in the nossession of private builders and designers. This is, I know, a highly controversial subject. I am, however, not expressing here a personal opinion unon' a point so technical, but the opinion of an authority of eminent standing. If by local construction there may be gained a little advantago in design, the onlv consideration is whether the work of construction can be done in Australia. On this point all authorities are fairly unanimous. Probably the Australian Labour party • would prefer to import a certain amount of British supervision, and even British workmen, in the parly stages of construction, to having tho work done in Great Britain.