FIGHTING SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1806, 19 July 1913, Page 5

FIGHTING SHIPS.

IMPERIAL POLICY DEFINED,

OIL-FUEL WARSHIPS.

NAVY'S OIL SUPPLY.

BRITISH-OWNED FIELDS. i By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, July 17. Mr. Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, speaking in the House of j Commons, said that there were now built j and building ono hundred oil-fuel de- , stroyers, and five battleships to use oil- j fuel would be building this year. Tho use ( of oil as an auxiliary to coal would continue as the mailt basis in the battle lino ( for the present. Oil -increased a ship's , active radius by forty per cent., and per- , mitted tho designing of vessels of equal 1 lighting power and lesser dimensions at , smaller cost. j The Admiralty, continued Mr. Churchill, intended to become independent owner or controller of its own oil supply. It was making a oontract with tho Mexican ( Eagle Company, with which his naval ' colleagu.es wero not interested in respect ' to shares. None of the funds of tho Liberal party wero invested in tho company. Ho knew of nothing to make it necessary , to add to the construction, programme, «nd did njot think that anything was likely to occur during tho autumn in the Mediterranean to necessitate any advance in construction. , (Roc. July 18, 10.45 p.m.) London, July 18. Mr. Churchill added that fast, light cruisers were essentially a part of our ; tactical construction programme. These could not be satisfactorily constructed on a coal-burning basis, inasmuch as they would either lia ye to bo greatly increased in length and displacement or suffer the loss of three to four knots of their speed. Referring to the oil question, Mr. Churchill said that what was wanted was a steady supply at a steady price. Dealing with the matter of tho Canadian battleships, tho speaker remarked that unlt-ss the gap were filled the Empire would bo short of three ships. From the end of 1915 onwards we might lay down three extra ships, but this step ought not to'be taken until absolutely necessary. The Admiralty meanwhile had decided to accelerate three eliips of tho 1013 programme. "The Canadian situation," said Mr. Churchill, "will have defined itself by 1914, and the Admiralty will be better ablfe to judge whether any further acceleration or dircct addition .to tho programme is necessary. Mr. ChuTchill admitted, in reply to Mr. A. H. Lee (Unionist), that thero had been considerable discussion with Austria and Italy regarding the new programmes, but thero had been no chango justifying fresh measures on the part of Great Britain. Mr. L« argued that to carry out the Government's pledges, given in March, six more ships should bo ready by 191 G. Tho majority of the speakers approved the Admiralty's policy regarding oil supplies. Mr. Churchill, continuing, announced that two rigid airships had boon projected, and six of the non-rigid type, besides additional sea-planes. OIL CONTRACTS. (Sydney "Sun" Special—July 18, 6.10 p.m.), London, July 18. Mr. Churchill refused Lord Charles Beresford's request that he should table particulars of tho navy oil contracts. There was lio reason, he said, to justify any departuro from tho practice which had hitherto obtained with regard to theso mattere.