The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-02
ENGLISH FLEETS
MUCH STRONGER

ence to these formidable ships, al
though 1t is officially definite they were
completed at the times stated, and
must now be somewhere afloat with
their formidable fifteen inch batteries.
These ships were not primarily the
ones under discussion in the recent
debate, as they are completed, but the
Queen Elizabeth was referred to as
the type of later ships around which
the debate really centered.
Two more capital ships OF the
Queen Elizabeth class were provided
in the 1914 estimates, namely. the
Agincourt and the Renown; and two
more Of the royal sovereign class, with
slightly less tonnage, namely, the Re-
pulse and the Resistance. The first
two were to be of 1880 tons, the
others of 25.75O tons. All were to
have fifteen inch main batteries with
twelve to sixteen six-inch guns, anti
aerial guns, etc. The Agincourt was
to be built at Portsmouth, the Re-
nown at Fairfield, the Repulsc at the
Palmer yard, and the Resistance at
Davenport. These were part OF the
ships under discussion in the debate.
Except for the foregoing known in
formation as to their authorization.
size. power. ETC.. nothing more is
known of them. officially or otherwise.
and quite properly as matter of nee
essary reserve. All that is known is
that the Agincourt and its big sister
ships were provided for. but no fur
Their reference has ever been made to
them.
Five more big new dreadnoughts
were provided in 1914, namely. the
Royal Sovereign, Royal Oak, Resolu-
ton, Families and Revenge. These
have since become known as the "Roy-
nj Sovereign Glass" The capital ships
were to he Of 25.750 tons, with eight
or ten ffteen-inch main guns and
twelve six-inch. The first two, the
Royal Sovereign and the Royal Oak.
were actually completed, the first at
Portsmouth. in December. 1915, and
the ROYAL Oak at Davenport at the
same time The Resolution. Ramille
md Revenge. were. according to the
last information permitted in Jayne's
summary. building Mt Palmer. Beard
more and Wicker yards. and to he COM
pleted in 1916. Beyond this nothing
is known Of the ships OF this class.
except that the Royal Sovereign and
Royal Oak were completed and are
now af1oat somewhere with their tif-
teen inch guns.
The foregoing are the ships around
which the recent debate centered, and
details of which ships there is COM
plete silence except on the known
facts before given. The rare refer
ences to the ships of the grand fleet
usually mention ships of an earlier
date. such as the Lion. completed in
1910, the Royal Princess in 1911, the
Queen Mary in 1913, and the Tiger and
Iron Duke Of 1914. Admiral Sir John
1ellico. in command Of the fleet, dated
recent letter to the Times from on
hoard the Iron Duke, and this and
the Lion and Tiger are frequently re-
ferred to. But 1t is over the later
ships OF the Agincourt. Queen eliza
beth and Royal Sovereign class that
the veil OF complete silence is drawn
except for the foregoing known de-
tails.
Without adding details on the prog
ress or completion OF the foregoing
ships. Mr.. Balfour in his recent speech
declared generally that 1.-THE fleets
are much stronger than they were SIX