AUSTRALIA’S NAVY

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1920, Page 1

AUSTRALIA’S NAVY

SYDNEY, Sept. 15/

It is being freely stated in the newspapers, and apparently with the warrant of authority, that the Australian Fleet is to be completely reorganised, in which process much of its glory will depart. The battle cruiser Australia which now lies off Farm Cove, he r great bulk making her one of the most remarkable objects in the harbour, is to be no longer the flagship of the Australian Navy. She is to become a training ship, and to be removed to the more humble waters of Rose Bay, (where young man-o’-wars-men are train ed). The fact is, in spite of her smart appearance, she is obsolete. All her sister ships except the New Zealand, have been placed by the British Admiralty in the obsolete class. The Australian Navy’s flagship is to become the Melbourne, one of the light cruisers. The maintenance of the Australia costs the Commonwealth about £300,000 a year and it is hoped to save this for a year or two at any rate until further defence measures are considered necessary. The three-funnelled cruiser Encounter— formerly often seen in New Zealand ports—which was len to Australia by the Admiralty and whose principal duty during the past few years has been to show 'the flag in the various Australian ports is now regarded as hopelessly obsolete, and is to be returned to the Admiralty. 1 >'« Australian warships remaining in commission will then comprise only the light cruisers Melbourne, Sydney an Brisbane. A sister slip, the Adelaide was launched at Cockatoo Island t o years ago, but work has proceeded si on l y on her since the war ended, find she fs still unfinished. • . At the moment the Australian i av> includes twelve destroyers. Six ot these are very old— although thej great work in the Mediterranean during the Avar—and they are to be scraped The other six were presented by the Admiralty after the war, and they will remain in commission, lbs tour submarines presented to Australia after the war by the Brtisli Admiralty (to take the place of the two Australian submarines lost during the war) will be kept in full commission. A number ot auxiliary vessels, such as minesweepers, will not be scrapped, but will not be fully in commission. It is said that these decisions have been taken in order to effect muchneeded economies. It is also said that the Naval Callege at Jervis Bay—the establishment of which cost some hundreds of thousands of pounds—is to be practically abandoned—a step which would make Australia again dependent on Britain for naval officers. The disappearance of the Australia, which cost so much, will bo rather a blow to the public—hut the. latter console themselves the reflection t lat she saved her’cost over and over again in 1914 when she forced the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau to keep at a respectful distance.