GERMANY'S NEW WARSHIPS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 37, 7 November 1917, Page 8

GERMANY'S NEW WARSHIPS

THREE COPIES OF BRITISH QUEEN ELIZABETH. Interesting details are given in the Fiencli naval Press of the more importRat units believed to have been completed for the German Navy since tho outbreak of war. The principal additions to the battle fleet are the Kaiser

Wpliehu II and the Bayern, laid down under tho 1914 programme, the first as au "ersatz" (substitute) ship, and the second as the "T," one of tho additional ships provided for under the 1912 amendment to the Navy Act of 1900. These vessels, as well as the Baden, ah ersatz ship of the 1914 programme, also completed, are ipractically copies of our Queen Elizabeth, having a tonnage of 29,000, a speed of 25 knots, and an armament of eight 15-inch, sixteen 8-inch, and eight 3.1-incli guns and fivs 19.7-inch torpedo tubes. The new battle-cruisers are the Lutzow (sunk in the Battle of Jutland), Hindenburg (laid down as the Ersatx Hertha), und Blucher, laid down as the Ersatz Victoria Luise. The two latter vessels are stated to bo of 28,000 tons and 25.5 knots, with an armament of eight i - mch, twelve 6-inch, and twelve 3.1-inch guns and four torpedo tubes. The new light oruisers are listed as follow:— ' .

Frankfurt (Ersatz Hela), 5000 tons, six 6-inch guns, two torpedo tubes. Wiesbaden (Ersatz Gefion), similar to above, sunk at Jutland. Emden (Ersatz Niobe), similar to above, also stated to Have been sunk at Jutland. No vessel of thie name has been mentioned in this country either officially or otherwise in connection with tne battle, but not all of the five light cruisers the Germans lost there were identified.

Karlsruhe (Ersatz Gazelle), similar to tho above, sunk at Jutland. The same notes apply to this as to the Emden. A Karlsruhe was destroyed, probably by an iiiternal explosion, in the West Indies at the end of 1914, but tlie name may have been given to a new ship. We know this was done in tlie case of the name Emden, the Kaiser having made a characteristic boast of what the "new Emden" would do.

Elbing and Pillau. These were laid x down in Germany to theordor of the Russian Government early in 1914, They were to have been named Muriaev Amurekv and Admiral Nevelskoi, and to have been armed with eight 5.1-inch guns, their speed being 27.5 knots and displacement 4300 tons. The Elbing was suulc at Jutland.

In comparison with the above, it may' bo pointed out that in August, 1914, there were under construction for the British Fleet alone two battleships of the Iron Duke class and ten Queen Elizabeths, as well as the battle-cruiser Tiger; while four additional capital ships were provided for in the normal H ! H programme. France was building eight Dreadnoughts, Ri ssia eleven, and the United States (i,"eluding vessels subsequently laid down or provided for), sixteen, among which are five 35-knot battle cruisers, with ten 14-inch guns and four battleships, with eight 16-inch.