IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10, 5 September 1912, Page 7

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

AT'STB ALI AN WARSHI PS.

Tho construction of the Australian protected cruisers of the second-class, Sydney and Melbourne, is being carried out under the strictest secrecy, even naval officers being denied access to the neighbourhood of the slips upon which they are being built. No official particulars of the ships have been published, but it is unofficially stated that the dimensions will show a slight increase on those of the improved “Town” class cruisers, such as the Weymouth. Already this class has reached three stages. The original Town class ships were the Bristols of 4800 tons; then followed the Weymouth of 5200 tons; and the latest of all are the Chathams of 5400 tons. The Australian cruisers will be of this latter class, the first of which was the Chatham, launched at tho port after which she was christened on November 10th last. Tho dimensions of these ships have been slightly increased all round, the length overall being carried to 456 ft. 6in., the beam to 49ft. 10in., and the draught to 15ft. 9in. The shaft Ikp. is stated to be 25,000, with turbine engines, and the speed 27 knots.

Some idea of the extent of the improvement may be gathered from a comparison of the 22,000 shaft horsepower of the earlier class with the 25,000 shaft horse-power of the latest, or Australian class. The turbines are the Parsons’ type, and there are twelve boilers of the Yarrow watertube type, fitted for burning liquid fuel as well as coal. The vessels will be fitted with all the latest appliances, including wireless telegraphy, submarine signalling, magazine cooling arrangements, heated air ventilation, ash ejectors, electric coal hoists, etc. The ships of the latest Town class now building or in course of completion, are the Chatham, Dublin, Southampton, Sydney, Melbourne, and the Brisbane. The last mentioned is to be built at Sydney. It is merely a matter of sentiment, of course, but why could not the name of Sydney Suave been reserved for tho ship which is to be built there? The armament has not been disclosed, but it will probably be similar to that of the improved, or Weymouth class, which cary light six-inclb guns, besides 3-pounders, together with two of tho latest type 21-inch submerged torpedo tubes. It is understood that the high free-board of the earlier class will in the new typos be continued aft to the main mast.