MERCANTILE MEN-OF-WAR.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1819, 19 December 1879, Page 4

MERCANTILE MEN-OF-WAR.

In reference to the steamer Orient, whose arrival at Melbourne was announced yesterday, the “Home News ” says : —“ The launch of that magnificent steamship the Orient marks the commencement of a new epoch in our communications with the Antipodes, With a tonnage of 12,000 tons, she will be the largest passenger ship afloat, as the Great Eastern rolls too much to be included in the same category. As a moans of shortening the voyage and of .offering superior comforts to emigrants, she will probably increase the popularity of Australian emigration. But the Orient is something more than a passenger and emigrant steamer of extraordinary size. She is also one of the first of the ships of our mercantile navy which has been specially constructed with a view to their employment on emergency as vessels of war. The present First Lord of the Admiralty has given this matter unceasing attention since he came into office, and the building of the Orient has been supervised by an Admiralty official with this particular object in view. The wisdom of this scheme is obvious. Although wo have numerically the largest nevy in the world, the duties it would have to perform in the event of serious war would be enormous. The fleet needed for the defence ot our own shores would take at least half the ships of war afloat, and the rest would scarcely suffice for the prelection of our outlying possessions and long lines ot communications. These, indeed, are the lines along which our trade, our commerce, but more particularly our food, would travel. Any stoppage of the latter would soon leave the British Isles, to use Bismarck’s expression of Paris, “ simmering in their own juice.” But ships like the Orient employed in the carrying trade would not only be able to hold their own upon the seas, bub they would form a substantial reinforcement to our regular fleet.