THE HINDENBURG.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 19 November 1915, Page 2

THE HINDENBURG.

<•€?* It is very curious that the German authorities should have permitted the launch of the battle cruiser Hindenburg (Ersatz-Hertha) on August Ist to be revealed (says the Army and Navy Gazette). This is the first occasion since the war began that such a thing has been disclosed, although several launches must have taken place. The two battleships, for instance, of the 1913 programme, to which the Hnidenburg belongs, must surely, have taken the water several months ago. If not yet afloat, all that can be said is that they are very belated. The new battle ■.•■ miser is certainly overdue, foV she was reported to have had her keel laid on June 30, 1913, and no German Dreadnought before the war occupied as much as two years in being brought to the launching stage. The longest time taken was a yea«r and nine months in the cases of the battleships Koenig Albert and Kronpriuz, built at the Sdhichau yard, Danzig, and the Ger-

mania works, Kiel, respectively. Wilhelm shaven Dockyard, where the Hi denbidrg was launched, had something of a reputation for putting ships afloat muchly, the Nassau occupying' only 8 rnonhts cn the stocks and the Ostfries•cnd 11, although the Konig took 17. The delay in the case of the Hindenburg is therefore so marked as to attract attention. The journal suggests cs a 'reason that the Hindenbnrg has been fited with 155 n. guns or weapons of even greater calibre.