HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD AN IRONCLAD?

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1907, 5 February 1885, Page 2

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD AN IRONCLAD?

The Pall Mall Gazette, contains its investigation of the.condition of the British Navy,; much to .the' dislike?pt the' Admirably officials. Amongst-other statements it shows that some of-thejbig, ships took eight to ten years buildingy'jand then it is sometimes found,:as is the'etae of the Agamemnibn;' which'.caivnot' sjqer, that they, do not answer. .Yet.private firms, whose- workmen' are -'Starving, and machinery rusting away,"have repeatedly offered to build IronciftdS"^ 'one-quarter of the timei Advice admiral writes to the Gazsttei-" It itoy. contribute'to a ao« •lutioh of the question'.Hw fast can. an ironclad be built ?; If I'atate,that i'.'M* ■known Scotoh; flrrd of shipbuilder!) has submitted to the Admiralty a dfiinplete set of drawings ahd the mbdel.of afftin-Screw barbette cruiser, armoured, one of which couldb,e built and. completed in?twentyone months,.ihd two.bf them in' twenty* two raihths,'ata cost of between t0£400,000. ThedisplaceinenVWW 10,500, tons, and 26ft Bin (the .'Usual draught) 9,000 tons.". The armam<atoropoaed is either four guiis of akty-rflons each, or two or 110. tons each, ot the greatest possible range. The' chief features are:—l, to have art armament quel to our largest modern armouwlads, 2, To be protected by horizontal and coat nt'iMHi', and the barbettes by elovdn' iiloh, compoßltd armour, ping. 3; To Garry' h Sulllclollt fiUm.titVof fohltsoiialU tile Motto Mm &gft mli kt hi\Mi .oHWfsKli&lS fot lij)fffl#f Mllvr jiliw .to, 4i. The-ipftdjß iji m mm4m\M Mtfw mm ■ m m mwklMwmw m WVmfy ang.'J. hope ,#. J#oQtqi>' qf Ifayal will ]ji| %§ against it-on accq'uijt qt tjjo'eijqrajqiij snoed," ' '■■■■>__.