BRITISH NAVAL TRIUMPH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3231, 30 May 1911, Page 7

BRITISH NAVAL TRIUMPH.

FIRES A BROADSIDE OF TEN 13.5-IN. GUNS.

THE “MONARCH” LATEST IMPROVED “DREADNOUGHT.”

Only a few" years ago the naval constructors Aveie all for end-on fire in battleships and cruiseds; the greater the number of guns to fire straight ahead astern the better. Further, alone amongst the great nations, England stood out -against the superimposition of gun-tiyrxets. Now our views have changed. / n the neivest design four guns only can fire straight ahead and astern. The one idea at the moment is broadside fire, and the latest A'essels can fide a salvo of ten 13. Sin. guns on either broadside. Thus they are classed as the all-big-gun ships. The reduction of the military masts to one carries out the common-sense idea that there should be as little as possible on the A'ossel to create /‘wreckage.” For the same reason the superstructure is pruned doAvn as much as possible, that every scrap of unnecessary gear may be done away Avith. The boats are housed in shelter-screens, as the blast of the modern guns Avould shatter them if they Avere unprotected. The Uniter States navy embodied all these systems some years ago, and the nearest approach to our 1 test- design is, perhaps, the DelaAvare (1907) on which all the big guns- are on the centre line. It- should be remarked that there are naA r al experts and constructors Avho say that Ave shall be glad to go back to our poAverful end-on fire and a larger secondary battery. It is obvious, hoAvever, that such questions will only be settled in Avar. The Monarch is the largest Avarsliip ever built on the Tyne. She has a displacement of 22,500 tons, and is of 27,000 horse power. Her length is 545 ft, her beam 88.5 ft. The 13 sin gun throAvs a. 12501 b projectile. The 12in throws an 8501 b projectile. . The launch of the Monarch took place last month.