New kind of German warship according to the Australian newspaper Western Mail dated 21 February 1913

An item dated London 16 February referred to the newspaper Engineer which reported that Germany was building a new warship lying so low in the water that her decks were almost awashed.(1) The result that she offered an almost omperceptible target for an enemy. The invention was first offered to the British Admiralty but declined despite that 5 vessels of this type could destroy a super dreadnought with building costs 20 timer the price of such a new vessel. The vessel was armed with one gun of maximum and had at the bow an impenetrable armour shield which shield in fact was the only target offered to the enemy. However the British admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge (2) introduced as the great English authority on naval armour and ordnance said in an interview that such vessel with a single gun was helpless in any considerable head sea and the whole idea ridiculous.

Notes

1. The item was published in several Australian newspapers. The The Chronicle dated 22 February 1913 reported that this new gunboat according to Bridge just was an obsolete type.

2. Sir Cyprian Arthur George Bridge (13 March 1839 St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada-16 August 1924 Kingston Hill, Surrey, England), commander-in-chief of the Australian and China Squadrons. In naval service 1853-1904.