An important announcement ade atiPortemouth in regard to the situation ofthe submarine flotilla. During the two years or so that the flotilla has boon at Portsmouth the tiny crafthavebeen attached to the second-class cruiser Thames. The results of the recent experiments with submarines, including the manoeuvres between the submarines and the Home Fleet, have apparently decided.the Admiralty to make a bold departure nection with the underwater boa to take the form of for submarines, A sui at Haslar Creek, the harbour, and here, it is cated, work is to be commenced immediately; £12,000 is to be spent on the undertaking during the current financial year. Other dopdts are to be established at Devonport and Chatham. have recently Been examining the various types: of submarine invented in the United States; particularly a submarine torpedo-boat invented by Captain Lake was inspected. She is described crow cigar-shaped vessel, and is fitted with a diving compartment for cutting cables and lowering mines. She differs from most submarines in that she can run on wheels on the bottom, being, in fact, a kind of submarine motor-car as well as a si marine boat. She carries throe Whitehead torpedoes, and is propelled. by gasoline engines on the surface and by' storage batteries under water. Hor displacement is 170 tons submerged; and her speed 11 knots.
The French navy will be strengthened this year by half-s dozen twin-screw submarines of an ontirélytiew type, from which great things are expected.
The munch of the first-class armoured cruiser Devonshire, the first keel late of which was laid by the Prince of Wales,' was successfully accomplished at Chatham Dockyard on 30th ult. She is a first-class armoured cruiser, of 10,745 tors displeetient. The hull of the vessel is constructed on the usual bracket system. Her principal dimensions are as follows: Length, between perpendiculars, 450 ft.; beam, 68 ft." Gin.; draught, forward,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.