BATTLESHIP LAUNCHED

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1122, 9 May 1911, Page 8

BATTLESHIP LAUNCHED

4 GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S PANEGYRIC. In presence of the Emparor, tho Empress, Prince and Princess Henry of Prussia, and Dr. von Bethmami Hollweg, the battleship Kaiser was launched at tho Imperial Dockyard at Kiel on March 22. 'Kio imperial Chancellor delivered a speech, and tho Empress performed the christening ceremony. The following was tho Imperial Chancellor's speech:—"By your Majesty's command, tho ship which awaits its launch to-day, the birthday of William the First, will bo named Kaiser. Kaiser! Tho word is steeped in dreams of German greatness and German longing for a Kaiser, the prize of victories won in bloody conflicts forty years ago. Kaiser! Tho man among us who gave us our German Fleet. German labour.wrought thee in a German shipyard that thou mightest protect German labour throughout tho world. Loyally to tho Emperor in the hearts of thy seamen will be the compass whereby thou wilt steer. If God who rules the winds and waves, and decides tho fate of battles, lead' thee into danger and distress, may thy crew in the last hour he mindful of the name thou nearest. In the grey dawn of pur history the voico'of their women roused tho manhood and courage of our fathers. So may good fortune and a blessing from the heart of the Empress who now baptises thee attend thee on all thy voyages." The Kaiser is the first turbine battleship in the German Navy, and also the first of the second or suner-Drend-nought division of the new fleet. The first division comprises eight Dreadnoughts all afloat. The last launched was the Oldenburg on June .10.