HOME-MADE NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1091, 1 April 1911, Page 5

HOME-MADE NAVY.

WARSHIP BUILDING AT SYDNEY. READY FOR CONTRACTS. ESTIMATES NOW BEING PREPARED By telegraph-Press Associatlon-OoßyriKlit (Dec. March 31,' 10.10 p.m.) Sydney, March 31. Mr. Holman, Acting State Premier, on tlio strength of a report from llio Superintendent of tho Cockatoo Island Dock, has informed tlio Federal Government that the. New South Wales Government is piepared to undertake the building of new warships. The time of completion for a secondclass cruiser and three destroyers is fixed at twenty-six months from tho timo the plans aro lodged. Tho terms offered aro eight per cent, upon the actual outlay incurred by tho New South Wales Government in tho performance of tho work. Talcing Admiral Sir 11. Henderson's estimate as a guide, the cost of tho cruiser would bo about £450,000, and' of tho destroyers £90,000"each.

ADMIRAL HENDERSON'S REPORT, (Rec. March 31, 11.50 p.m.) Mslbaurna, March 31. The Federal Government has decided to defer consideration of Admiral Henderson's report until Ministers return from abroad. Tho Minister for Defence (Senator Pearco), while in England will consult the Admiralty on certain matters coil--' nectcd with the report. OIL FUEL. (Rec. March 31, 11,50 p.m.) \ London, March 31. • Tho first consignment of oil fuel foi the Australian navy, amounting to 100 tons, has been dispatched by tho Commonwealth Oil Corporation. The supply is practically unlimited. THE FACILITIES AT SYDNEY, By Telecraph-Press Association-Copydeht Sydnoy, March 31. Mr. Holman, Acting-State Premier, says the Government dock at Cockatoo Island will probably be able to com'plotc warships in two years, the percentago chargo upon tho total cost representing seven or eight per centum upon tho cost of material and labour.

The dock has nearly completed tho work of putting together tho- destroyer Warrcgo, which will bo launched on Tuesday next, Tho parts of this vessel were shipped out by the builders at Homo. .

Tho Superintendent of the Cockatoo Island Dockyard estimates tho cost of turning out new warships at over half a million. They would require threo thousand men to build the. vessels. This number was not obtainable in' Australia, and they would liavo to get over a thousand shipwrights from England.'

FOOTING THE BILL. j London, March 30. At a meeting of the shareholders of tlio Bank of Australasia, Mr. Alfred Lyttclton, M.P., one of tho directors, presided. Ho said the cost to Australia'and New Zealand of providing' for 'tho fleet would inevitably ho serious, but the directors of tho bank would be tho first to cheerfully shoulder the burden.