“Little Duchess” Launches Warship

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 409, 18 July 1928, Page 9

“Little Duchess” Launches Warship

NEW CRUISER YORK FORMIDABLE FIGHTING CRAFT British Official Wireless. Reed. 12.15 p.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. The cruiser York, one of the three large ships authorised in the Navy Estimates for 1926-27, was launched this afternoon at Yar-row-on-Tyne by the Duchess of York. Unlike the earlier cruisers built since the Washington Conference, which have been of 10,000 tons, the York will displace only 8,000 tons. She is regarded as being of the most useful type for trade-route protection purposes. Owing to the decrease in tonnage, it has been necessary to re duce the weight alloted to her armament which, in the Kent class, comprises eight Sin. guns. The York will mount only six of these weapons, but as the new Bin. gun is a weapon of exceptional range and power, throwing a projectile of 280 pounds, the new cruiser, despite her reduction in size, will be a very formidable fighting craft.

It is probable that she will be some what faster than the Kent class of ships, which are engined for 31$ knots.

It will be recalled that at the Geneva Naval Limitation Conference last year. Britain proposed that the maximum tonnage of cruisers should be restricted to 8,000. This was resisted by the United States.

Two other cruisers of the 1926 programme which are building are of 8,000 tons. The only cruiser provided for in the 1927 Estimates will shortly be laid down at Devonport. She will also have a displacement of 8,000 tons.