A New Kind of Cruiser for the British Navy.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 121, 30 May 1885, Page 5

A New Kind of Cruiser for the British Navy.

Thk new bolted cruisers, or, es they have been called in Parliament, the " Now Morsoys," for which cortain shipbuilders have just been invited to tender, differ from thoir moro recent predecessors in having 10 feet more beam, being 1100 by 50 feet, and in bavin- an increase of 1,300 tons in the displacomont, making them up to 5,000 tons. Tho proteetivo deck has been replaced by an armour belt -00 feet long, formed of 10 inch ateel-facod armour of 0 inch of backing. The ends are protected by an underwater belt similar to the Mersey's. As tho ends of the belted cruisers aro very fine, the part of the water-lino not actually pro teeted by armour is proportionately very small. The engines of these vossclb are to be 5,700 horse power, to be obtained by the uso of forced draught in a closed stokehole. Thero aro four boilers, doublo-ended, having a total grato surface of about 500 square feet, and working ataproasureof 120 pounds. Their total weight is not to oxeeed 7-0 tons. They aro of a similar type to those supplied to tho Leandor class by Messrs Kobert Napier & Sons, ha\ ing cast steel framing and hollow steel shafting throughout.

The armament consists of two 18-ton guns, arranged—one forward, to fire all round the bow to about fifty degrees abaft the beam, and one aft, to tiro through a similar sweep round tho stern. In addition to these, there are twelve 4-ton guns, and six machine guns. A torpedo armament will also be provided both above and under water. The construction of the hulls does not materially differ from that of the smaller and earlier iionclads of her Majesty's navy, such as the Hydra, Nelson, and! Couquerer, but they are of steel throughout. These belted cruisers will each be manned by a crew of from 330 to 350 officers and men, for whom very good accommodation is found on the second deck above the water line, All the usual refinements of a cruiser have to be provided in their most modern form. When completed these vessels will be works of modern engineering skill second to nope. As vessels of war they cannot fail to be formidable. Their weak point appears to be their speed, which ia not to be more than eighteen knots.—From the "GlasgowHerald."

Appreciative employer—"Mr Wiggins, I have been very much pleased with your assiduity and attention to business during the past year, and I have determined to rowurd your fidelity by making you my junior partuer.'' Horrified eniployi —" Junior partner—ma—no, Eir 1 Don't do it-—-ju s t reduce Bty salary and lot it go at that."