MAKING NAVIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 43, 12 August 1911, Page 10 (Supplement)

MAKING NAVIES

Bl'iLDIXi; EUR TWELVE POWERS. There are many ways of classifying tlw 102 .ships of tin; Dreadnought type now built or bunding, or to be laid down during the present year, but perhaps the following is the most striking:--' 32 have been or are being built in Britain for the British navy. S have been or are to be built in Britain for foreign ileets. 17 under construction in foreign dockyards arc being built under the direction of British workmen or manufacturer*. •lo have been or are being built in foreign yards with British help.

These facts are a remarkable testimony to the efficiency and reputation of the British shipbuilding industry. There are now 13 Powers which have entered the Dreadnought race, and of the nations four (Germany, the United States, Fiance and Austria] are going ahead on their own resources. Of the remaining eight, six have sought British assistance, and only the Argentine, unable to build her own Dreadnoughts, has gone elsewhere for them, and even then she lias ordered other craft here.

The first foreign Power to come to England for Dreadnoughts was Brazil. Two ships of 10,250 tons—the Minas Geraes and the Sao Paulo—have already been completed for this nation, and a third, the record-breaking Rio de Janeiro, of 32,000 tons, is now under construction'at Elswick. This ship frill carry, it is stated, twelve 14.3 in guns and H of Gin calibre, making her far and away the most powerful warship—at any rate, on paper—ever built. Brazil also ordered two scout-cruisers and ten destroyers in England, and all these have been completed and delivered. I Japan was the next Power to order a British-built Dreadnought, and the case is of particular interest because, since the beginning of the war with Russia, all Japan's warships, with the exception of a couple of submarines, have been built in native yards. In the ease of the first two ships so built (the armored cruisers Tsukuba and likoma, the first ships of their class to carry 12in guns), the result was fairly satisfactory; but with, the rather larger and much more powerful vessels Ibuki and Kurama, things did not go so well, for the first was three and the other five years under construction.

Two battleships were also tried. The first, the 19,250-ton Satsuma, was laid down in May, 1905, and completed in the spring of last year, while the Aki, 600 tons larger, was begun in March, 1905, and not completed until April 1 of this year, thus taking six years to build.

Still, the Japanese authorities were not entirely disheartened by these experiences, and they are now engaged in, building two 20,800-ton Dreadnought' battleships, the Kawachi and Setsu. These were to have been completed by the end of this year, but only one so far is launched. Both of the vessels are being equipped with British-made guns, and with armor manufactured by an Anglo-Japanese syndicate. Their offensive and defensive powers will, therefore,' be almost wholly British. East year, however, Vice-Adiniral Saitoo, the Japanese Minister of Marine, admitted that it was, as yet, hopeless to expect Japanese yards"to turn out ships so expeditiously and efficienty as British builders could; the result being that a contract was placed with Messrs Vickers for a battle-ship cruiser of the Lion type, which was laid down in January.

Turkey next appeared on the scene, and the history of the placing of contracts for the two 19,750-ton Dreadnoughts witr Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. is too recent to need detailing here. Germany made very strenuous efforts to secure these contracts, and even offered to sell Turkey her first two Dreadnought battleships and the armored cruiser Blucher. But the naval affairs of Turkey are being directed by a staff of British officers, who were no doubt far from anxious to purchase for Turkey ships with which Germany was obviously dissatisfied. Other ships are to be built under the new Turkish naval scheme, and no doubt they, too, will come to England.

Having failed with Turkey, Germanynext concentrated her energies on securing an order from the Chilian Government, which is about to enter on the construction of two powerful Dreadnoughts. These vessels are to be 26,000 tons, and will carry the new 13.5 in gun. The orders have not been actually placed, but, compared with the tenders from Germany and the United States, the prices quoted by Messrs Vickers and Messrs J. Brown were about £200,000 lower per ship, so that there can be little doubt where the vessels will be built.

In an attempt to influence the Chilian Government, Germany sent the Dreadnought-cruiser Von dc Tann on a so-called experimental—actually an advertising—cruise to South American waters, but the proved excellence of British construction and a saving of £200,000 per ship are not to be ignored. Two destroyers for the Chilian navy have just been ordered in England. The following is a striking summary of the manner in which Great Britain is associated with the building of foreicn fleets:- fc

Argentine.—Four destroyers are under construction at Birkenhead.

Brazil.—Two Dreadnoughts and 12 other ships recently built in England and a third Dreadnought now under construction. Ten petty officers have been borrowed from the British navy to assist in training the personnel. Chili.—Two destroyers have just been ordered, and orders for two Dreadnoughts are expected shortly. A British lieutenant has been lent.

China.—A 2500-ton cruiser is being built at Barrow.

Greece.—Reorganisation of navy being carried out bv a British staff under Rear-Admiral Tuffnell.

Holland. Destroyers building at Flushing under direction and from designs of Messrs Yarrow.

Italy.—Armor and ordnance for four new Dreadnoughts being supplied by British (inns having works in Italy. Japan.—Fleet already contains 11 Bri-tish-built armored ships. A battlecruiser is being built at Barrow, and two Dreadnoughts building in Japan will be equipped with armor and ordnance manufactured by a British firm.

Portugal.—Several new ships to be built in England.

Russia.—Four Dreadnoughts in the Baltic building under British supervision. Two Dreadnoughts to be built in the Black Sea by a British firm and two others with the help of British artisans.

Spain.—Three. Dreadnoughts and a number of smaller vessels being buiiT! by a group of British firms. Dockyard's being modernised by a British firm.'

rurkey—Reorganisation of the navy being carried out by a British staff under Rear-Admiral IT: P. Williams. Two Dreadnoughts rpocnt.lv ordered in England.