NEW NAVAL CONSTRUCTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1615, 26 September 1916, Page 4

NEW NAVAL CONSTRUCTION.

In the science of naval architecture Britain has always led (he way, alike in merchant and fighting ships. To this traditional superiority there has been added during; the period of (he war the knowledge gained by a close analysis of the information available regarding the influence on design of modern tactics, as well as by an investigation of the effects of attack. The newer ships, says Engineering, are greatly superior in every element of fighting efficiency to (hose of former days. As to the rapidity of construction, the achievements have far surpassed those of peace time. Rome of the greatest ships yet conceived have been built within IS months from the date when the tactical conditions to be met iri design were first enunciated by the naval, authorities; in normal times the period required would have been quite double. This rapid construction has been got first by the organisation of the shipbuilding works in order to economise labour, to ensure that the maximum number of men may be employed on the ship without each getting in the other's way, and by the co-ordination of the work of different departments, so as to ensure the maximum of output in a given time. Many shipbuilding firms are to-day turning out most satisfactory warships which before the war had no knowledge of Admiralty conditions. This has been acheived by the interchange of valuable hints, and even by the transfer of experienced workers from one yard to another.