THE BIRTH OF A COMMONWEALTH NAVY—H.M.A.S. AUSTRALIA TAKES THE WATER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 4, 24 January 1912, Page 22

THE BIRTH OF A COMMONWEALTH NAVY—H.M.A.S. AUSTRALIA TAKES THE WATER.

*y ; yp. The Australia glided from the ways of Messrs .John Brown and Co.’s yards at Clydebank, with a success that may bo taken as a good augury for the new navy. H.M.A.S. Australia, which Is to be the Commonweal th Flagship, Is of the same type as the Inflexible and the Invincible. This spirited picture was lent by Canon Tuke, whose sun, Mr 1., G. Tuke, ia going through his engineering course with the builders. in an interesting letter, describing the launch. Mr Tuke says: “You will notice smoke ami steam caused by the heat developed by the weight of the vessel as she glides down the ways, in spite of the latter being carefully greased. Four wire ropes on either side of the ship are attached to large masses of chain on shore. When the ship has become water-borne these wire ropes tighten and drag the chain along, au4 so bring the hull to a stationary position, after which the tugs tuke it in charge."