Xxxvm. 



Netv Zealand Institute. 



Vessels to be 

 used as 

 auxiliary war- 

 cruisers. 



outlay should uow be incurred in the direction of providing more 

 torpedo-vessels. 



Nor — though I should be glad to see a man-of-war provided as a 

 nucleus for other naval forces — can I advise that the recommendations 

 made by some of my naval friends for tli3 purchase and maintenance, 

 by the colony of a considerable number of war-cruisers, gun-vessels, 

 and torpedo-boats should be acted on. 



In the distant future New Zealand may become — I venture to 

 foretell she will become — a considerable Naval Power ; but meanwhile 

 she must be content with what her present resources will enable 

 her to accomplish. The most practical suggestion that I can now 

 make with regard to the provision by the colony of vessels of war is 

 to make arrangements for utilizing certain vessels of the Union 

 Steamship Company as auxiliary cruisers for local defence. 



More than a year ago I wrote to the authorities in England to 

 consult them on this subject, and I find that five of these ships, viz., 

 the " Rotomahana," the " Tarawera," the " Waihora," the " Hauroto/' 

 and the " Rotorua " can easily, by additional bulkheads or water-tight 

 subdivisions, be rendered capable of complying with the conditions 

 as to flotation necessary to qualify them for use as armed cruisers. 

 Coal-bunkers can also be arranged in them so as to provide protection 

 to the machinery against shot and shell-fire, it having been found by 

 experiment that coal will afford a measure of such protection. 



In like manner the " Aorangi," " Ruapehu," and " Tongariro," 

 belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company, and two ships of the 

 Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company would be available as armed cruisers. 



The diagram before you shows a vessel somewhat of the character 

 of the five last-mentioned, fitted with armament, coal protection, and 

 other details necessary to constitute her a war-cruiser. The ships 

 of the Union Steamship Company would be similarly treated, on a 

 scale suitable to their dimensions. 



Probably, in case of war, the armaments, stores, and fitments 

 required for the direct steamship lines would be put on board in 

 England. As regards the vessels of the Union Steamship Company, 

 however, I would recommend that everything necessary to be placed 

 in them in order to constitute them auxiliary cruisers, including 

 armament of breach-loading guns and machine guns, should be kept 

 in store at one of the principal ports of New Zealand, ready to be 

 put on board whenever war appeared imminent. I suggest also that 

 arrangements be made with the Union Steamship Company for 

 fitting the vessels I have named with the additional bulkheads neces- 

 sary to give them the requisite degree of flotation and other fitments 

 for war-vessels. 



