THE LAUNCH OF THE BATTLESHIP "NEW ZEALAND.” the fine new battleship. "New Zealand." launched at Porthsmouth recently is the latest of the 16,,350 ton armourelads known as the "King Ed ward class.” She will be one of the most formidable fighting craft afloat, carrying besides her four 12 in. and ten 6 in. guns, four 9.2 in. weapons in hooded barbettes, one at each corner of the upper deck. She has, of course, a large number of 12 and 3 pr. guns as an auxiliary armament besides four under-water torpedo- tubes. Besides being so powerfully equip ped for offensive purposes the "New Zealand” will be provided with a most extensive and up-to-date cuirass of Krupp's steel armour, the most in penetrable yet made. Her barbettes and hoods will be 12 in. thick, her main- deck battery surrounded by 7 in. armour and covered in overhead with a 1 in. deck. Below this there will be a band of 8 in. armour, anil below this again the water-line belt 9 in. thick amidships but tapering to 4 in. at the extremities. In conjunction with this belt a protective deck whose slopes are 2 in. in thickness provides for the security of the new battleship's flotation. The "New Zealand” will differ in general appearance from what has now become the recognised type of battleship in our service, not only on account of the 9.2 in. guns and their turrets at the corners of the superstructure but from having no fighting tops, the Admiralty being evident ly of opinion that the damage done to an enemy by half-a-dozen small guns perched up aloft would not compensate for the risk of the serious smash up on the upper deck which would result from the fall of the heavy top with its armament. Lady Onslow, wife of our sometime Governor, christened the vessel.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XIV, 2 April 1904, Page 43

THE LAUNCH OF THE BATTLE SHIP "NEW ZEALAND.” the fine new battleship. "New Zealand." launched at Porthsmouth recently is the latest of the 16,,350 ton armourelads known as the "King Ed ward class.” She will be one of the most formidable fighting craft afloat, carrying besides her four 12 in. and ten 6 in. guns, four 9.2 in. weapons in hooded barbettes, one at each corner of the upper deck. She has, of course, a large number of 12 and 3 pr. guns as an auxiliary armament besides four under-water torpedo- tubes. Besides being so powerfully equip ped for offensive purposes the "New Zealand” will be provided with a most extensive and up-to-date cuirass of Krupp's steel armour, the most in penetrable yet made. Her barbettes and hoods will be 12 in. thick, her main- deck battery surrounded by 7 in. armour and covered in overhead with a 1 in. deck. Below this there will be a band of 8 in. armour, anil below this again the water-line belt 9 in. thick amidships but tapering to 4 in. at the extremities. In conjunction with this belt a protective deck whose slopes are 2 in. in thickness provides for the security of the new battleship's flotation. The "New Zealand” will differ in general appearance from what has now become the recognised type of battleship in our service, not only on account of the 9.2 in. guns and their turrets at the corners of the superstructure but from having no fighting tops, the Admiralty being evident ly of opinion that the damage done to an enemy by half-a-dozen small guns perched up aloft would not compensate for the risk of the serious smash up on the upper deck which would result from the fall of the heavy top with its armament. Lady Onslow, wife of our sometime Governor, christened the vessel.