IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3123, 20 January 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

CHANGES IX FLEET COMMAND. [United Press association—copyright.] LONDON, Jan. IS. Vice-Admiral Sir F. Bridgeman has succeeded Ademiral 8. W. May as com-mauder-in-chief of the Home Fleet, and Vice-Admiral Prince Louis of Battenberg has succeeded Vice-Admiral Gir George’Xeville in command of the third and fourth divisions of the main fleet. THIRD CRUISER TO BE OBTAINED. MELBOURNE, Jan. 19. Preliminary arrangements have been made to secure raw material for the construction in Australia of a third cruiser. APPLICATIONS FOR CADETSHIPS. There were 98 applicants for 33 Australian cadetships at the Military College, and 15 for 10 New Zealand vacancies. EQUIPPING THE FIELD ARTILLERY The Department is purchasing 1228 horses for the purpose of equipping field artillery.

CANADA’S NAVY. The correspondent of the “Daily Mail” learns that the contract for the ten vessels which will constitute the Canadian Navy is almost- certain to be elt at an early date to a British firm, possibly Messrs Vickers, Sons and Maxim, or Messrs Harland and Wolff. If to the former firm the vessels will be built at- Montreal; if to the latter at St. John, New Brunswick. The successful firm will he allowed a year in which to establish shipyards in Canada, for which it will get a subsidy, but it must complete the first- ships at the end of three years, and the ton ships at the end of six years. THE BASIS OF EMPIRE. Speaking at a dinner, given by the Master and! the Wardens of the Worshipful Company of Patternmakers, Sir George Reid said that it was not in the nature of the British race to be satisfied with an illustrious past. There was always the everlasting resolve to reach greater heights. He was delighted to see the spread of good relations with other races, hut the result of his reading and reflection was that the only basis on which the Empire could rest securely was the strength and readiness of its own people to fight for the Flag. (Cheers.) GERMANY’S BUILDING PROGRAMME. Germany will establish a recordl in 1911 by launching six Dreadnoughts. The announcemtii is made in the “Deutsche Tageszcitung,” which points out that the New Year will not only witness an unprecedented expenditure on the German Fleet (£22,500,000) hut the floating of the greatest- number of new vessels which has ever taken the water during a. single twelvemonth. Exclusive of torpedo-boats, submarines, and other minor craft, no fewer than ten ships of modern types will be floated. During 1 DIG only two Dreadnoughts have been launched, the battleship Oldenburg and the cruiser-battleship Von Moltke. In 1911 five battleships, the Hildebrand, the Hoinidal], the Hagen, the Aegir, and the Odin, besides the cruiser-battleship H, will take the water. ‘Four new armoured cruisers are also to he launched.