DEFENCE.
59
Light Cruisers. — (continued.)
Armour f
Main Armami-nt
_ - * Z
fCuragoa Caleaon Calypso Cassandra . I Caradoc j Concord I Centaur
Cambrian . j Canterbury Constance . Castor
- Chester
Birkenhead
{Enterprise Emerald .
- 1
Hermes > Eagle 1 Argus 1 .
Tons 4,110 3,750
3,750
3,185 5,235
7,550
10,400 26,200 5,000
ii ",e?- incliea
kuoia
— — 5 t'in. ; 2 Sin.
— 5 6in. ; 2 Sin.
— 4 Bin. ; 1 4ln. ~ }• 10 5-5in. ; I 3in.
— } 7Cin. ; 2 4in. AA |
— 10 5-5in. ; 4 4i«. AA j ■ 40,000
40,000
■2 40,0*0
40,000
31,000 tt.OOt
— - 4 4in.
w,m
2S-5
MS
32 5 H 24
1 .Seaplane carriers. The Eagle was built as the Almirante Cochrane, battleship, but was taken over in an early stage by the British Navy and completed for her present uae.
There are also gunboats, store-ships, repair ships, mine-sweepers, fleet sweeping sloops and other auxiliaries.
24 Flotilla leaders, 1,600-1,800 tons, 34-365 knots.
The latest destroyers of which anv official description was given before the war were ot the L class, 1913-14 (965 tons). The S class, 850-1,090 tons ; V class, 1,275-1,300 tons ; W class, 1,275-1,350 tons. Total number, 166.
The submarines are of manv successive classes. The following are the existing numbers : E 18 ; G 6 ; H 23 ; K 12 ; L 26 ; M 3 ; R 10 ; total, 98.
Dominion Navitf. — Lord Jellicoe made a tour of the Dominions with the object of arriving at an understanding with the Governments on the naval defence of the Empire. His report presented to the Govern- ment of Australia emphasized the desirability of the Commonwealth be- coming self-contained in regard to shipbuilding and the manufacture of guns, mountings, explosives, and aircraft. He considered that the interests of the Empire were likely to demand within the next five years a Far Eastern Fleet comprising vessels of the Royal Navy, the East Indian Squadron, and the Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand Navies. This Fleet would consist of at least 8 modern battleships, 8 battle- cruisers, 10 light cruisers, 40 destroyers, and 36 submarines. The total cost for maintenance was esti- mated at 19.750,000/. Australia's share would be 4,000,000/. rising to 6,000,000/. The cost to New Zealand would rise from 375,000/. in 1920 to 4,000,000/. in five years. (The organisation of the intended fleet is still [end of 1920] unsettled, and these figures are approximations).
