NEW BRITISH CRUISERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20128, 13 December 1928, Page 13

NEW BRITISH CRUISERS.

DETAILS ANNOUNCED.

SIX OF THE YORK CLASS.

ALTERATIONS TO THE NORFOLK.

LATEST RUSSIAN VESSELS.

(Received December 13, 12.15 a.m.)

United Service. LONDON, Dec. 12. Authoritative details of the much-dis-cussed new British cruisers of the York class, which hitherto have been surrounded by the utmost secrecy, are revealed to-day in the publication of Jane's Fighting Ships. The cruiser York is the first example of the type, and is considered peculiarly suitable for the special requirements of the Brjtish Empire. It is claimed that the Admiralty is justified in its preference for a medium-sized cruiser. There will be six vessels of the York class, two of which are now being built. Their standard displacement is 8400 tons, they are 575 ft. long, 57ft. wide, carry six Bin. 50-calibre guns, four *4in. antiaircraft weapons, and six 21in. triple torpedo tubes. Tho deck armour of the cruisers is 2in. thick and that of the conning tower 3in. Each vessel is designed to develop a horse-power of 80,000, which will give a speed of 31-i knots. Additional details of the 10,000-ton Kent class of cruisers show that they are designed for a speed of only 32 knots, although the Australia attained 34 knots at the end of a long voyage. Another cruiser of this class, namely, the Norfolk, is to be launched to-morrow. She has had her shaft horse-power increased to 90,000, which gives her a trial speed of knots, instead of 31 £. Her length has been increased 3ft. Photographs secured of the Russian warships Tchervonaya, Ukrainia and Petrovoski convey the impression that they are singularly efficient.