BATTLESHIP AUSTRALIA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1788, 28 June 1913, Page 11

BATTLESHIP AUSTRALIA.

9 CAN SHE ENTER PORT PHILLIP? QUESTION OP DRAUGHT. The question is being asked in Sydney whether the battle-cruiser Australia—-the flagship of tho Australian naval unit, and the most powerful British warship to bo stationed in tho southern seas—will be ablo to enter tho port of Melbourne at the end of August, when her arrival in Australia is expected. The matter is dealt with in the "Sydney Morning Herald" in an article In which it is stated that this question is understood to be at the present moment under the consideration of the. Commonwealth naval authorities, and it will have to be solved within tho next few weeks. The article proceeds:—"lt is an open secret that tho warship New Zealand had great di,fficulty in leaving Melbourne, and her departure was a source of considerable anxiety to both 'her commander and the harbour authorities. She entered Port Phillip Heads drawing about 28ft. after coaling. However, in Hobson's Bay she drew SOft. 9in. The harbour-master expressed the opinion that no vessel drawing as much as 30ft. should -risk passing the Heads. Captain Halsey was ablo to red.uce the draught to 29ft. 9in., and, choosing tho tide and a oalm sea, ho navigated tho ship safely through the Heads." "The Australia's tonnage," the article continues, "is 19,200 —100 tons more than that of the New Zealand, and it can readily be understood that tho authorities do not nronose to Tun the risk of the Commonwealth's flagship scraping the 'Lightning Tock.' The present depth at the Heads is 37ft., but, owing to what is known as 'scend' (the rise and fall of a vessel in a sea. way), this is reduced by sft. or Sft. in smooth and by 10ft. to 12ft. in rough weather. It is proposed to deepen the entranco to 43ft., when vessels with 35ft. or 36ft. draught will bo able to pass in safety. At the present rate it will, however,, take six years before this is done, and meanwhile 30ft. is the limit. The harbour authorities are spending only .£SOOO a year on deepening the entrance at Port Phillip Heads. The critics of the present system pointed out that in six years the need will be much greater even than it is now, as the tendency, both with warships-and-merchant vessels, is for the draught to be progressively increased. The new "White Star steamer Ceramic, which will soon he visiting Australia, draws 34ft. Gin., and it is certain that she will not he able to enter the port of Melbourne fully loaded, or. indeed, any other Australian commercial port, except Sydney and Hobart. And this is only one of a series of powerful vessels which have already been built or will shortly be .on the seas. Contrasted with •£SOOO in deepening tho entrance/ to Port Phillip Heads is a sum of nearly .£500,000 expended last year in improving the shipping facilities in Sydney Harbour. The problem of the Australia is likely to concentrate attention on the whole subject, and if this is tho oase much good may come out of the present undesirable 6tato of affairs." The Acting-Premier of Victoria 6tated that the'--apprehension raised; in Sydney was not shared by tho Victorian Government. If one compared the depth _of water at tho entranco to the Bay with that at the approaches of other ports, it was equal to the depth at' most other ports of the world. Only in the case of a few harbours, such as that at Hobart, was the", depth of the approach remarkable. Tho depth of the approaches to these ports acted as a check upon the size of the vessels now constructed. Mr. E. T. Drake, the Secretary of Public Works in Victoria, said that it_ would appear .from the comparison made in Sydney to the disadvantage ■ of Melbourne, that only i! 5000 was spent a-year on Port Phillip. That represented a very small part of the actual expenditure ,op tho port. It related to the approach alone. The vessel was to call at Colombo, and by the time she arrived hero she would bo drawing much less from consumption of coal. He did\not say that she would be able to coal here to her full draught, but she would.be able to enter.