Cable advices are to hand from the Admiralty, announcing that the British squadron in Australasia he "increased by a flotilla of torpedo destroy amongst which will he—included Zephyr and Fervent. These two launched at Paisley in 1805, are twin-screw, capable of steaming 27 knots, displace-tons, and engines of 3,800 1. H.
ea] capacity is GO tons, and they carry " complement of 50 men. The vinament includes one 12-pounder and ey quick-ting guns, and two The Australian squadron wants bringing up to date, as the only modern vessel now out here is the flagship Royal Arthur, built in 182, Phe majority of the squadron are Brd-chus cruisers of the Mildura type, ut both in engine power and armament these vessels) are rapidly becoming obsolete, Two or three si pall cruisers for training the nucleus of our local Naval Reserves are also badly needed." At present these men do their annual drill on the old Cerberus, whose age must be close on 30. Or failing this, the Whitehall authorities might make "some provision for sending our men on short training cruises, on board the vessels of the squadron, which now spend week after week swinging round their_moorings in Farm Cove, in a state of absolute rest.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.