H.M.S. CURACOA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 278, 25 November 1890, Page 5

H.M.S. CURACOA.

ARRIVAL TO-DAY.

THE OPAL'S SUCCESSOR.

AN EFFECTIVE WARSHIP.

After a long period of absence a British warship is again in Auckland Harbour. H.M.s. Curacoa, hitherto a stranger to the Australian station, arrived in porb shortly before 2 p.m. to-day, from Sydney via Wellington, and dropped anchor at the man-o'-war anchorage, off the Railway Wharf. The Curacoa arrived ab Wellington a fewweeks ago from Sydney, and left Porb Nicholson again last Friday morning for Auckland, to make a stay of several weeks here. She came up the coast mainly under canvae and had fair weather. At about 7 a.m. to-day she made her appearance outside Tiri, and cruised about there for several hours, being engaged in boat practice. At about 11.30 she got her boats up again, and came into port under slow steam. A large number of people on the wharves watched the approach of tho new ship with interest. She is the successor on the Australian station for our old friend H.M.s. Opal, and is a smart-looking cruiser. H.M.s Curacoa ie in every way, as far as appearance and general effectiveness goes, a fitting substitute for the Opal. She is of comparatively modern build, and is not to be confounded with that other Curacoa which was on this station some quarter of a century ago, flying the broad pennant of Commodore" Wiseman. The present Curacoa rates as a screw cruiser of the third class, and ehe is considered one of the best representatives of Her Majesty's ships in that) class. She was built at Randolph, Elder, and Co.'c establishment on the Clyde in 1877, and has been cruising more or less ever since. The Curacoa was-lasb commissioned in March, 1888, and left Plymouth on May UtAi of that year for the South African station. Thence she was drafted off during the Portuguese etnbragilo to go to Zanzibar, and after remaining , there six weeks she returned to Simon's Bay. _ Acting under instructions from the Admiralty, the Curacoa has come on thence to the Australian station. She left the Cape on May 16th of thia year. The Uuraeoa ie constructed of steel and iron. The hull is divided into eight watertight compartments, and externally it is sheathed with wood and coppered. The bull hae'-a ram entrance for aggressive purposes, and the- forepart of the vessel is specially strengthened for such workThe armament of the Curacoa is on a liberal scale, and both heavy and light ordnance is the beat of its description. Of the twelve largo guns four are of (sin and eight are of sin calibre. The former are mounted in barbettes—two forward and two aft—and caa bo used as bow and stern chasers, while tho latter or broadside guna ate ranged four on each side. They are all breechloading , , and are mounted on Vavas.seur carriages. The 6-inch guns have a wide trajectory, and can be trained round nearly three-fourths of a circle. The larger guns carry 1001b conical shot), and others 501b. The guns and their mecham cal appliances for firing and working are kept in faultless order. . Besides the heavy artillery there are 11 machine and quickfiring gun?. One of these is a Hotchkis3, two are Nordenfeldts, and the others are Gardiners. The latter can discharge 150 rounds a minufce. The Nordenfeldts are right forward in the bows of the vessel. In addition to these there ore small' guna for field work or boat expeditions. The rifle in usoon board is of the Martini-Henry pattern. The Whitehead torpedo has also a place on board, and there aro two Bbeam launches for torpodo and other work. The engines by which the Curacoa is driven are on the horizontal tandem double cylinder principle. The diameters of the cylinders are 42in and 66in, and the piston stroke is 33in. _ The boilers, six in number, are Bft in diameter, and each is heated by bvro furnaces. On a consumptioa of 30 tons of coal the Curacoa can develop a speed of 13 knots. The engines are of 2,300 horse-power effoctive and do bheir work well. The screw is of bronze, and is two-bladed. Steam is used on board for condensing and other purposes ; and the electric light is also installed. There are two very powerful search lights, one forward and the other aft. " . • The Curacoa is barque-rigged, and her speed under canvae with a whole-sail breeze is 11 knots. The complement of boats is complete. It includes two steam cutters, a large pinnace, jolly boats, gigs, etc. The population on board numbers 296 officers and men all told. Of this total 40 are marine artillery and infantry. All are in excellent health, and have that brisk, breezy look characteristic of the British man-of-war's man. There is no superfluous space on board the Curaeoa. Every foot is utilised, and although she appears to be crowded on deck and below, there is the utmost order and regularly everywhere, THE OFFICERS. The following is a list of the Curacoa's officers and their appointments :—Captain, Robert W. Stopford ; firat-lieutonant (N), Valentine D. Hughes ; lieutenants, lan. R. Grant, Cecil G. Treherne (gunnery), Vernon Maud, Albert S. Lafone ; captain marines, Fitzroy T. H. Scott; chaplain and naval instructor, Rev. James J. Smith, B.A. ; staff-surgeon, Charles T. Vaeey ; chief engineer, Thomas Morris ; surgeon, Jerome Barry, M.D.; assistant paymaster, Augustus H. Brigstocko; engineer, Sidney G. Haddock ; assistanfa engineer, Albert E. Collings ; gunner, George R. Frew; boatswains, Edward Coveney and John H. Partridge • carpenter, Robert C. Wibhetfc ; midshipmen, John P. Shipton, W. A. Carleton, Richard H. Parker, Harry A. P. Glossop, Arthur W. Richmond and.Marmaduke C. Allenby. Lieutenant Hughes and Mr Bricstoeke have been in Australian watere before, the former in the Cormorant and the latter in the Emerald.