AUSTRALIAN NAVY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 10 June 1927, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NAVY

LAUNCH OF NEW CRUISER PRINCESS MARY AT GLASGOW ' LONDON. 30th May. 11.M.A.5. Canberra, the second o*f Australia’s new 10,000-ton cruisers, was successfully launched at the yards of Messrs John Brown and Co., Ltd.. Clydebank, near Glasgow, today. Princess Mary performed the christening ceremony. The presence of the Princess made the launching an especially gay function. Every vessel in the vicinity of the shipyard was dressed in bunting, and every ship passing up and down the Clyde was similarly decorated. The town of Clydebank, which, reputedly, is a hgibed of Red extremists, forgot, its politics. Its houses hung out their Hags, the school children paraded, and large crowds assembled.

Tim Princess travelled in tbe Royal sleeper saloon attached to the midnight express from London, detrained near Glasgow, and motored to Lord Rlytliwood’s mansion. and from there to Clydebank. where she attended the Mayor's reception, and arrived at the dockyard an hour before the launching. The Princess, a. charming girlish figure, with obvious pleasure discussed tbe launching preparations with Lord Aberconwav, chairman of John Brown and Co. : Sir Charles Ellis, the managing director: and Sir Joseph and Dame Mary Cook. At- the instant the tide reached its maximum an electric bell sounded, and the Princess cut the ribbons, releasing a- bottle of Australian red wine, simultaneously invoking a blessing on the Canberra and all who would sail in her Tn the same instant the Canberra sought her own element. Slowly the cruiser took the water, then, a second after, the bow dipped, hawsers took the strain, and masses of iron cables brought the ship to a standstill inside 10 yards. Tugs at once drew the Canberra into the fitting-out basin, where her sister ship, tbe Australia, is lying, and lias alreadv received the bulk of her aiachincrv.