THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13097, 9 February 1906, Page 5

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.

.ATTENTIONS TO AGENTSGENERAL.

LAUNCH OF THE DREAD-

NOUGHT.

By Telegraph.—lVes* Association.—Copyright.

(Received February 3. 11.7 p.m.)

London. February 8. The representatives of the colonies in London are very pleased with the treatment they are receiving from the Secretary for the Colonics (Lord Elgin). The new Minister goes out of his way to show them favours. He obtained invitations for them to witness the launching of the new battleship Dreadnought on Saturday last by His Majesty the King.

The Dreadnought is an 18,500 ton battleshin. Shu is to have a .-peed of 21 knot?, anil cany ton 12in gun.-;. She will carry 500 ion.-, of projectiles for hoi main guns. 200 tons of coalite charge.--, 300 tons of store - and provisions, and 2500 tons of coal. About 11,000 tons of armour is to bo built into the hull, while her gun.; will weigh 6CO tons without their mountings. The construction was begun on Monday. October 2, last, so that bho lias boon launched in four mouths— surely a world's record. Two thousand men have been engaged upon her. and they have worked three hours' overtime dai';. Tho haste in construction arises from tbi desire of the Portsmouth authorities to prove that tho yards hero should receive orders for the construction of all the large warships.