BRAZILIAN WARSHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 487, 21 April 1909, Page 9

BRAZILIAN WARSHIPS.

« ; ANOTHER LAUNCHED. » (by TEr.EGnAi'ii—rn£sa association—corYitionT.) London, April l'l Tlio Brazilian battleship Sao Paulo has been launched at tho Barrow yards. Referring to tlio three new Brazilian battleships, under construction in Britain, the .."Daily" Mail" says that each ship will displace 22,000 tons, and each will have twelve 12-inch guns and.a speed of 22 knots. They will be able/to firo eight big guns ahead or astern and ten broadside. Our own Dreadnoughts only fire six big guns ahead and astern and eight ,on the broadside. They (the Brazilians) will, also havo 22 4.7 inch quick-firers and eight, 6- . pounders." "The Times," in reporting the launching of the Brazilian battleship Minas Geraes, wrote: "Sho has a length of _500 ft.; a 1 beam. o£ 83ft.,. and she carries a main armament of tweivo 12-inch £nns; ten of;which can, simultaneously fire on ei'ther broadside, or eight cari fire in lino of keel ahead and eight astern. A similar.arrangement has, it is said, beerv adopted in the latest' Japanese battleship now under construction in Japan. To achieve this, four of the doublo gun. turrets are placed on the centre line, tlio. two nearest amidships being at' a higher level and thus, capable of firing over, tlio other two, whilst, one of the remaining turrets' .is placed on.either broadside. Jier 'secondary consists of twenty-two 4,7-inch guns, all placed behind armour, eight of them iii the superstructure ■ and fourteen between the main .and upper /decks ■ protected by. the citadel. , ,

gun a few remarks, when about thirty more soldiers woro marched, in and placed in position. While tho attention of tho peoplo was on tho new arrvals an order was given which brought tho arms of tho lattor, and of tlioso of the men on one of the parapets, above, up to tho ready. Other soldiors also displayed similar preparations, Instantly , tho wild shouts of women and children aros'e, and peoplo fled in all directions, though few could squeczo.out of tho narrow exits from the courtyard. I liad been standing.near tho open church door and, with flying sacristans, black-robed underlings, and; others, was whirled into tho saenjd portals, being, indeed, very glad to get there. For a- few seconds it seemed as if bullots would fly, but, apparently, the military demonstration was only either an intimidation or the result of a foolish order; and gradually, the peoplo regained confidence, thoush tho gathering, was henceforth shorn of its worst spirit. Tho climax was passed, ;and a short, time after a number of "the soldiers wore marched away.

Tho . people fell to rejoicing, declaring that they, had kept the monks from the church, in spite of the soldiors, and to celebrate this feati they organised a procession along somo of the streets. It seemed to ono, during the melee,. that had an Arab, anticipating tho threat of tho military to fire, let fiv hurriedly and killed a soldier, tho latter's comrades, being mostly quite untrained and undisciplined, might have quickly, retaliated and got out of hand.' It is a matter of history what the Turkish soldier is capable of when in this state, -though it is generally admitted liore that in tho present. trouble the Turks have proved themselves'good fellows, remaining placid and quite disinterested.