NEW BRITISH CRUISER

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4396, 23 May 1933, Page 8

NEW BRITISH CRUISER

HARD-HITTING SHIP.

"A RETURN TO SANITY."

By the courtesy of Captain R. R. Turner, D. 5.0., commanding H.M.S. Le ander, I have just made a thorough inspection of this latest of our cruisers, which was described by a naval expert, when details were first disclosed, as "9 return to sanity" in cruiser construction, writes Hector Bywater in the London Daily Telegraph.

It was an apt phrase, for the Leander comes nearer to the British ideal of what a cruising man-of-war should be than any ship we have built since the peace. Authorised in March, 1929, she was not begun till September, 1930, and has only just been commissioned. Nine units of the Leander class have been authorised, but the last will not be ready before 1936.

Part of the internal structure of the Leander is electrically welded to save weight, and there is not a superfluous bit of metal in the ship. She is 522 ft. in length, with a beam of 55.2 ft„ and on a displacement of 7000 tons draws 16ft. of water. The hull is beautifully moulded, with an eye both to speed and seaworthiness, and the huge single funnel is streamlined to give a clear run to the seaplane, which is mounted on a catapult just abaft the casing.

Engines and Guns

Down in the engine-rooms I saw the four sets of high-pressure turbines which turn the quadruple screw and are fed with super-heated steam from six Yarrow-type oil-fired boilers, each generating 12,000 h.p. Considering the tremendous power it develops the machinery plant is wonderfully compact.

When the ship carried out her fullpower trials recently everything went like clockwork. The contract output of 72,000 h.p. which drove her through the water hour after hour at a. speed of 32| knots was attained with ease. "She handles like a destroyer," said one of the officers. Rough seas were encountered, but she rode them on an even keel, "as steady as a rock." This means that the Leander is a stable gun platform and could work her armament with full effect in weather that would put the guns of a livelier ship virtually out of action.

Eight 6in. guns of a new pattern comprise the main armament. They are housed in four turrets, two forward and two aft, giving a full broadside of eight and a bow and stern fire of four guns. Inside one of the spacious armoured turrets I saw how these quick-shooting, hardhitting weapons are worked. Power is used only for hoisting ammunition,

other operations being performed by hand—in gratifying: contrast to the supermechanised loading gear of certain previous ships.

Served by a skilled crew, the 6in. gun will discharge eight rounds a minute. In action, therefore, the Leander would be hurling more than sixty 1001 b shells a minute, equivalent to three tons of steel and high explosive.

Two 4.7 in. high angle guns are mounted for defence against aircraft, and on either side of the waist are quadruple torpedo tubes.

Good Living Quarters.

As regards her protection, and without going into details, it may be said that her armour defence is equal, if not superior, to that of a County cruiser, and, of course, she presents a much smaller target.

Electrical power is employed more extensively than in any other British warship. It operates the capstans, the steering engines, the cranes that hoist boats and seaplane, and many of the pumps. In conjunction with hydraulic power, it also manoeuvres the gun turrets. Power is supplied by four dynamos, each of 1000 amperes.

Despite the Leander's fine lines and modest tonnage, the living quarters are remarkably roomy and comfortable. For the men there is a recreation room extending right across the ship and containing, among other amenities, a soda fountain. Lighting and ventilation have been brought to a high degree of perfection, especially in the sick bay, which in size and appointments would not disgrace an Atlantic liner.

Almost the only drawback is the high cost. The total bill for the Leander amounts to £1,667,819, of which the hull has absorbed £83,000, the machinery £430,000, and the guns and mountings £470,000. In later ships of the class modifications will, it is hoped, materially reduce the cost.

The Leander is to sail for Gibraltar on a shake-down cruise, in accordance with the new policy of giving every new ship and her company time to "find themselves" before joining the Fleet. In July she will become flagship of the Second Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet, in place of the 10,000-ton Dorsetshire —earmarked for the Cape station —and eventually this squadron will consist of the four sisters, Leander, Achilles, Orion and Neptune.

One point must be emphasised. Fine ships though they be, the Leander class are smaller and less powerful than contemporary foreign cruisers. Partly for economy and partly as a disarmament gesture, we are now, for the first time in history, building ships inferior in fighting power to their "opposite numbers" under other flags. It is very desirable that the public should know and appreciate that fact.