NAMELESS TUG.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 120, 23 May 1928, Page 9

NAMELESS TUG.

SLIDES DOWN THE WAYS.

STURDY LITTLE VESSEL.

ASSEMBLED IN AUCKLAND,

The latest addition to Auckland's fleet of small craft is a small steel tug, which was launched at Mr. George Niccol's yard at Freeman's Bay this morning.

There was no christening ceremony, and the little vessel is still nameless, as her owner expects to sell her as soon as she is ready for service. When the cradle was released, its movement was almost imperceptible, and jacks were used to help it along, but as the grade became steeper, the speed increased, and the little vessel took the water smoothly and easily.

Originally built by Scott and Sons, of Bowling, the tug was brought to New Zealand in sections by the Federal steamer Norfolk about six months ago. The hull and engines were assembled at Niccol's yard by Seager Bros., and the boiler, which arrived a short time ago by the Turakina, will be installed this week. Her construction has been supervised by Lloyd's representative at Auckland and she is classed 100 Al.

Although built solely for hard work, the new tug is quite a handsome little craft in her own business-like way. She is strongly and compactly built, being only seventy-three feet long, with a beam of sixteen feet, and a moulded depth of eight feet. Her engines, which are the work of Ross and Duncan, of Glasgow, are rated to develop nearly three hundred horse-power.