208 Mr. William E. White [March 9, 



war-ships, made the selection of types an easy matter. Now the 

 progress of invention is rapid, and change follows fast upon change ; 

 so that the decision of fighting and sea-keeping qualities is a diffi- 

 cult undertaking. Whatever is done is certain to be challenged or 

 criticised. 



The Admiralty has many advantages in its action as a " Com- 

 mittee on Designs." On the Board are a number of experienced 

 and distinguished naval officers. The largest war-fleet in the world 

 is under its orders, and from the service afloat come many reports, 

 suggestions, and records of experiment. What is being done at home 

 and abroad in the construction and armament of ships ; the improve- 

 ment of ordnance, ammunition, armour, torpedoes and other matters 

 of importance, is well known and carefully considered. Use is made 

 of the best engineering talent of the country in devising improved 

 types of propelling machinery, auxiliary mechanical appliances, gun- 

 mountings and other portions of the equipment. When considered 

 desirable, distinguished naval and professional men are called into 

 council. But the final decision as to the characteristics and qualities 

 of each of Her Majesty's ships necessarily rests with the Admiralty. 



Universal experience in all navies and at all periods shows that 

 there must be a considerable variety of types in any fleet. No single 

 type can be trusted to perform all the services required at a given 

 moment. Progress in invention and consequent change in type 

 necessarily introduces further variety. Iron and steel-hulled ships 

 have great durability. On the " Effective List " of the Royal Navy 

 still remain specimens of the earliest sea-going ironclads, now over 

 thirty years old ; and examples of successive types which during 

 that long period have made their appearance as first-class ships, only 

 to pass gradually into lower classes and finally into the Reserve. 

 Obsolete as many of these vessels are in engines, guns and armour, 

 they are practically as strong as they ever were. Should a war take 

 place, and serious engagements happen between the more modern 

 ships on each side, it is quite conceivable that the so-called " obsolete " 

 ships of the Reservo may play an important part in the final stages 

 of the conflict. 



Apart from the variety of type produced by lapse of time, there 

 is the variety arising from the necessities of service. By common 

 consent a modern fleet, like the ancient fleet, must have a squadron of 

 battle-ships as its back-bone. With these must be associated cruisers 

 of various kinds — the " eyes of the fleet " — and vessels of the torpedo 

 flotilla. Opinions differ as to the most suitable proportion of cruisers 

 to battle-ships. Some advocate three cruisers to each pair of battle- 

 ships; others would have two cruisers of different types to each 

 battle-ship ; and others consider that, to complete a group, there 

 should be a battle-ship, two cruisers and a torj>edo vessel. 



The Naval Defence Programme provided for seventy vessels : ten 

 battle-ships, forty-two cruisers and eighteen torpedo gunboats. Most 

 of the designs were novel in character. Eight of the battle-ships are 



