H.M.S. WELLINGTON

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 111, 13 May 1935, Page 10

H.M.S. WELLINGTON

ADDITION TO N.Z. DIVISION ARRIVAL TODAY The latest addition to the New Zealand" (Division, of. the Royal Navy, the convoy; sloop Wellington, made a fine sight this morning as she came up the harbour' shortly before 9 o'clock, and syvung.ihtp her berth at Clyde Quay •V^liarf.' £.M.S. Wellington, which is rfeplacnig the'old ' Laburnum, is a smart ship of the Lpwestoft type, flying her. maiden pennant. She is one of:- the. hew Imperial convoy sloops, which,,are designed 'to cover work formerly done^l by destroyers, and as such closely, resembles her sister-ship, the :Le*th.; '•"'.- j . The latest arrival is a thoroughly np.tojdate craft of IXOS tons displacement, measuring 266 ft in length, with a beam of 34ft, and a.mean draught of.Bft 3in, which suits her for river and estuary work,- her, light draught enabling her to.-go.wliere cruisers dare riot go. That as- ; .why-the, sloop is such a useful and economical ship for" police and-general patrol duties. ..■ \ ■, , ■iThejproßelung;,engines of the Wellington are of 2000.h.p., giving her a speed .of 16£ knots, with a little bit: more-in reserve for an emergency. The boilers, are' oil-fuelled, and the ship's tanks :hold nearly 300. tons of oil. The firing tubes are of the regulation pat-' tern,.and the oil apparatus the same. .Replenishing the tanks is a very simple method'Cpmpared with the coaling of the ,bld >yar-time. sloops ( like the •^aburnumV' There is little '.dirt, and little, smoke/arid the general cleanliness of the craft is rendered much) Jeasier,;to'.maintain...,.\ .''., ' , :'h POWERFUL WEAPONS. ;.'?With'.regard to armament, the Welliijgtprijcarries ,two 4.7 in guns, one 3in anti-aircraft gun on high-angle, mount-: 'ings, arid, 12 'smaller guns. The big jguns are,behjnd.armoured shields. The |4:7 in 'gun.is 'a' very!powerful' weapon of its- calibre, as it's services 'in the' late ."war proved. It is semi-automatic in -action; .with: the; /.usual breech: niechanisin, .Aveighs, 3 .tons 6cwt, and has; a, barrel of' a 'length ' of 45 calibres (45.times..^in). The projectile weighs .431tv' arid the gun has 'an effective' •range,;-of;-9000;■ yards.. With a welldrillea brew at. its breech, a dozen rounds' iser' minute can be fired; yet this gjiiif can' be loaded,! trained, and fir>d' by, one- gunner,l as.was; shown in the Great War. The 4.7 in gun has ah, eleyatiori. bf'3sdeg., or twice as' much asbeforethe Great War, in which the! plunging,, fire of 'the German guns,' especially at! Jutland;, wrought' such, havoc among'our "ships unprepared for such fire; •■■-- '■ ■ ' -i :: . ■