A MONSTER BATTLESHIP.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1035, 26 January 1911, Page 5

A MONSTER BATTLESHIP.

HUGE VESSEL FOB JAPAN. , fiy Telesraph-Fress Association-Copyrlßhl, Tokio, January 24. Tho Japanese authorities aro about to lay tho keel of a 40,000-ton' battleship. THE LATEST- JAPANESE WARSHIP. The latest and largest British battleships, tho King George V and tho Centurion, are to be of 25,000 tons displacement, and 27,000 horse power. In October last a big Japanese-built battleship was launched at tho l'okosuka Navy Ya.rd. In describing the event the Tokio correspondent of the Naw York "Evening Post" said:—The launching of the giant battleship Kawachi marks a further important step in Japan's recent progress' "in"warship construction. The keel of the Kawachi. was laid down only in April last; and thus in the 'brief space of some six months the new leviathan of war glides into tho deep ready to receive her machinery and armament. Such expedition and efficiency considering the size of the ship, are hardly to be outdone by the great yards of Europe and America. The Kawachi is a- first-class battleship of the Dreadnought type, but with perpendicular bow, the rain being, conspicuous by its absence, as in,tho case of Japan's last big ship, tho Satsuma. Tho Kawnchi is a lighting monster of 20,800 tons; length, 52G feet, width 84 feet, depth 44 feet, and draught 27 feet. Her. engines are (o be of the Curtis turbine type, and will havo a horse-power of 26,000, tho speed to be twenty knots. Her protection will bo.a broadside of armour twelve inches thick, and she is to , carry an armament, of twelve twelve-incluguns, ten six-inch, eight - four-inch, and ten three-inch guns.. The ship, will be provided with six. searchlights,";aud have live torpedo tubes. The boilers aro what isknown as the Miyabara make, and she has donble propellers. Tho total cost is said to bo in the vicinity of 18,850,000 yen (.£l,8S0,000). Of course, most of tho material for her construction was imported, oliiclly from Great Britain, but she. is tho design of Japanese naval architects, and was wholly built by Japanese workmen. 'Mβ Kawachi marks the greatest feat yet achieved by Japan in the way of warship construction; being some 20tw tons larger than the Satsuma, and in every way up to the latest models of European construction, upon which Japan keeps a , closo and continuous, eye. ■ .The Kawachi was built at llin Yokosuka Navy Yard, as was also tlin Satsuma.

The Yqkosnka Navy Yard had no existence before , fho year 1865, and remained but a small affair till recent-years. About 8000 nien are now regularly employed there, most of whom aro the descendants of the men who began the original yard. ; This system, which the Japanese have cultivated to: a marvellous degree, of passing on the trade of skilled workmen from father to son, has resulted in a family spirit of contcntedness and efficiency that greatly adds to tho expedition of the work of tho yard.