H.M.S. ' FORMIDABLE.'
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR." J Sue,—As Lord Charles Beresford's disappearance from the House of Commons leaves the Navy once more without a Parliamentary representative, there is again a danger of "out of sight" being "out of mind." H.M.S. 'Formidable' has recently fired twenty-seven rounds, each round costing the country about 262. These twenty-seven shots were fired at a target 600 square feet in area at a range of about 1,500 yards. This range is one at which probably no battleship would engage in time of war on account of torpedoes. Of the twenty-seven rounds fired by H.M.S. 'Formidable,' one hit the mark, giving a percentage of 31. H.M.S. 'Formidable' cost considerably over 21,000,000. The guns of the 'Formidable' made at Woolwich are admirable weapons. What is the war value of a 21,000,000 battleship that misses a small target at a short range twenty-six times out of twenty-seven P—I am Sir, &e.,
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