THE KING IN COMMAND

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1436, 10 May 1912, Page 5

THE KING IN COMMAND

THE NAVAL MANOEUVRES. TRIUMPH OF THE HYDROPLANE. fly Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright London, May 8. The ■ naval manoeuvres are being held in Weymouth Bay. There are 120 warships faking part, the King being in command. The ships, which have been disposed in five avenues each two miles long, enmpriso tho First, Second, Third, and Fifth Jfattle Squadrons, valued at seventy million pounds. There have been deiiionslrafions by aeroplanes and tho latest submarines; also of 13.5 gnus. (Rec. May 10, 0.35 a.m.) London, May 9. A fog necessitated the abandonment of the fleet exercises yesterday, including the night torpedo manoeuvres. The King inspected the principal ships. A feature of the manoeuvres was the triumph of the naval hydroplano S4l which possesses wonderful stability and rises and alights equally on land and water and is able to remain in. the air for seven hours and to attain a speed of 55 miles. It is also possible to drop 3001b. of high explosive. It is fitted with wireless. The Admiralty has decided to increase the hydroplanes to 25. NAVY REORGANISATION. DETAILS OF THE NEW SCHEME. London, April 1. Official details have been issued of the reorganisation of the Fleet foreshadowed by Mr. Churchill in introducing the Admiralty Estimates in Parliament recently. The scheme will come into force on May 1. The terms Ist, 2nd, ,)rd, and 4th Divisions of the Homo Fleet as used hitherto will be abolished. The Home Fleet will be divided into the First, Second, and Third Fleets, and ships will bo classed in these Fleets according to the status of commission in which they are maintained. Ships in tho First Fleet will bo in permanent commission with full crews; ships in the Second Fleet will lie in commission with nucleus crews, and receive full complements of active service ratings on mobilisation; ships in the Third Fleet will be in commission with reduced nucleus crews or in "Materiel Reserve," and will require reserve men on mobilisation. Home Fleet. The Home Fleet thus divided into three fleets will comprise eight squadrons. Each squadron will consist of a battlo squadron and cruiser squadron and attached ships, numbered consecutively. Four squadrons will form the First Fleet, two the Second Fleet, and two squadrons and three additional cruiser squadrons the Third Fleet, as follows: — First Fleet: Tho Ist and 2nd Divisions of tho Home Fleet mid the Atlantic Fleet, to bo in fuhiro known as tho Ist, 2nd, and 3rd Squadrons. A 4th Squadron will be constituted within this Fleet at a future date. , „. . . Second Fleet: The present 3rd Division of the Home Fleet formed into the sth and Gth Squadrons. , , . . . Third Fleet: The present 4th Division of tho Homo Fleet formed into the 7th and Bth Squadrons and the 9th, 10th, and Uth Cruiser Squadrons. Commander-in-Chief. The Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet will become "tho Commander-in-Chief, Homo Fleets," and will have placed under his direct command such fleets and squadrons as the Lords of tho Admiralty consider proper. In normal circumstances his command will include the whole of the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd Fleets. Training Squadron. A new name is to be given to the 4th Cruiser Squadron, which is to be known as tho Training Squadron. Mediterranean Fleet. The present 6th Cruiser Squadron will in future be known as the Mediterranean Cruiser Squadron. Eastern Fleet, An Eastern Fleet will be formed of tho China Squadron, Australia Squadron, and East Indies Squadron. West Atlantic Squadron. Other vessels on foreign stations will continue to be designated as at present but tho vessels employed in Newfoundland, tho West Indies, and on tho SouthEast Coast of South America will, if combined, bo known as the West Atlantic Squadron. Destroyer Patrols. Destroyer flotillas will be reorganised to conform to tho foregoing system. Tho present Ist, 2nd, and 7th flotillas will be reorganised into four flotillas, to be known in future as the Ist, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Flotillas. Tho present 3rd, 4th, and jth Flotillas (nucleus crews) will be alsd reorganised into four flotillas, to be known in future as tho sth, Gth, 7th, and Bth Flotillas. The vessels composing the present Gth Flotilla will in future be included in tho Home port flotillas., The Ist, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Flotillas will, in norma! circumstances, be under the orders of tho Commander-in-Chief of tho Home Fleets. Tho sth, 6th, 7th, and Bth Flotillas will form the command of a flag officer, styled "Admiral of Patrols." This officer will bo under the direct orders of the Admiralty. Nine Submarine Sections. The submarine sections in Home waters will also, from May 1, be rearranged in nino sections. They will remain under the general control of the Inspecting Captain of Submarines, who will bo responsible to the Commanders-in-Chief of tho Home Ports for those sections which are assigned to port defence, and will be responsible to tho Admiral of Patrols for the remainder.—"Daily News."