Launch of H.M.S. New Zealand.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XII, 19 March 1904, Page 24

Launch of H.M.S. New Zealand.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, February 5. New Zealand now enjoys the proud distinction of having given its name to the largest warship ever launched from Portsmouth's famous dockyards. Yesterday. with great eclat, and under auspices as happy as ever superstitious mariner wished for. the new first-class battleship New Zealand was set afloat. Glorious weather, which those of us who journeyed down from London could appreciate to the full, graced a picturesque ceremony. The sun shone with pleasant warmth from a sky of almost cloudless blue, lighting up a scene that was full of life and colour. On the dockyard slip the ties warship reared its massive hull, towering majestically high above tae thousands who lined the quays on either side. Conspicuous among Iter flags was the blue New Zealand ensign, with its emblem of the S uthern Cross. “So ess to the New Zealand,” ran a device in Hue and gold set athwart the vessel’s stem, where a bottle of colonial wine was shortly to be broken Around the bows a balcony, coveted in with bunting. accommodated a distinguished company. and near the entrance to the balcony stood a guard of honour from the Royal Marine Light Infantry, with the band of the regiment also in attendance, The famous old Victory, lying alongside the breastwork to the left of the launching slip, fitted r. Rurally into the picture. Nelson’s flagship, which still flies the Admiral’s flag in Portsmouth harbour, tg'.d “dressed ship * for the occasion, and with her bunting and a new coat of paint looked staunch and trim as ever. Flags fluttered ga’ly in the breeze: the water danced and sparkled; the lively strains of the banl mingled with the hammering of the shipwrights as they knocked away the blocks beneath the hull. It was an inspiriting scene. The launch was attended by His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, and La iy Onslow. wife of New Zealand’s ex-G overnor. performed the christening ceremony. The E-trl of Orts’ v was also present, and there was a representative gathering of naval, military and dockyard officials, with a number of ladies. New Zealand was representt 1 by the Agent-General Hon. W. P. Reveu and Mrs Reeves. w:h whom were Sir Arthur Douglas and Mi-s Douglas. the Hon. R. OBiver. and Miss Williams. Before the last blocks were knocked away the Duke of Connaught and Rear-Admiral TV. H. May, < •.u • roller of the Navy, went down below the hull and saw the work in pro gress. L'pon their return to the bal- ■ f r ligions service was -on-d-.t. tie workmen continuing their hammering the while. When but five more blocks remained a bugle gave the signal for the workmen to get away from beneath the hull, which they lost no time in doing. A few minutes before half-pnst twelve everything was in readiness for the launchingT 1 the dirts ram g of the New Lady Onslow. Ry an ingraious mechanical contrivance the bot- ; f wine leeked in fl awer- and evergreens, was broken upon the vessel’s

stem, while with a boxwood mallet and chisel Lady Onslow severed a rope which biM the weights suspended over the dogshores on either side of the ship. The weights descended with a thud upon the dogshores, there was a moment of expectation. and then, amidst shouts of “She's off,” the mighty vessel moved gentlv down the siipwav towards the water. The kind struck up the National Anthem, and amidst the stirring strains of the music and the cheers of the thousands who watched the spectacle. H.Ma New Zealand glided majestically into the harbour. The launching was perfect. An interesting feature of the ceremony was the laying down of the first keel piate of a new battleship, the Britannia. as soon as the New Zealand had left the slip. Tliev don’t waste much time in His Majesty’s dockyards’ The new vessel, whieh is to be a sister ship of the one just launched, was begun without any ceremony beyond the playing of “Rule Britannia” by the band, and five of the keel-plates were laid before work ceased for the day. After the launch Admiral Sir John Fisher entertained the Duke of Connaught and a number of others, including the New Zealand visitors, to lunch at Admiralty House. The toast “Success to New Zealand ’’ ’was proposed by Sir John and enthusiastically honoured, the Hou. R. Olliver responding. Mr. and Mrs. Reeves lunched with Rear-Admiral Henderson, Admiral-Superintendent of the Dockyard. As a souvenir of the -nunch the Countess of Onslow was presented wtih a handsome carved oak box containing the chisel and mallet she had The New Zealand, whieh is a sistership tc the King Edward VLL. was laid down on February 9, 1903. and is the largest warship ever built at Portsmouth. Her displacement is 10.350 tons, and her indicated horse-power 13,000. She is 425 ft long. 78ft in beam, and draws about 27ft of water- Her speed will be 18.5 knots. The New Zealand should be ready for service in about 12 months from now. She will not go to New Zealand, but. as Sir John Fisher remarked yesterday she will protect New Zealand, and will do so mere effectually in the fighting-line than if she were ia New Zealand waters.