THE DOMINIONS AND THE NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1206, 15 August 1911, Page 5

THE DOMINIONS AND THE NAVY.

___—0 ( FIRST COLONIAL DREADNOUGHT. THE "NEW ZEALAND" LAUNCHED. There was launched on Saturday, .Tuly 1, from the Yard of tho I'airfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, tho first colonial Dreadnought, the Now Zealand, which is tho gift of tho Dominion of Now Zealand to the Imperial Navy. The occasion was marked with appropriate ceremony, and a largo and distinguished company attended, including Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister of Now Zealand, and Lady Ward. Lady Ward performed the naming ceremony, and the Kev. Roger Kirkpatrick oonducted the religious service. At a given signal a bottle of New Zealand wino was broken against tho bows, and simultaneously Lady Ward named tho 'vessel, wishing her and her crew good luck. "May she never bo called upon to engage in battle," she added, "but should it be otherwise I pray that victory may bo hers." In a minute the New Zealand had settled safely on tho ■river, and loud choers were raised for her and for tho Dominion. The New Zealand is one of the typo represented by the Indefatigable; she comes between the Invineibles and tho Lions, more powerful and faster than tho former, but not so powerful or so fast as tho latter. ■ Her dimensions in the main are: Length; 355 feet; beam, 80 feet; draught, 2G.5 feet; displacement, 18,750 tons; horse power, 43,000; and complement, 000. Parsons turbines have been installed, designed to give a speed of 25 knots, and ( tho armament will bo: Eight 12-inch guns, with 1G 4-inch guns. Tho thickest sido armour is seven inches.

After the vessel, had been launched the invited guests proceeded to tho moulding loft, where, cake and wino wero served. Mr; Alex. Gracie, chairman of _ directors of tho Fairfield Company, presided, and Oosed "Success to the cruiser New uwl, Prosperity to the Dominion, and the Health of Lady Ward." The- vessel represented, ho said, in its most emphatic form, the devotion to _ the Home Country of the Greater Britains Beyond the' Seas. She represented? porlups per head for tho white population vof New Zealand, and that in itself showed that small considerations'would not be allowed to prevent New Zealand from taking her, share in the responsibilities of Empire. (Applause.) Mr. Grade then presented to Lady Ward a silver gut casket containing the axe used in the launching ceremony. 1 Sir Joseph Ward, who responded to tho toast, said that Lady Ward would appreciate tho gifts as commemorating an occasion which was of historical interest not only for the people of New Zealand, but for the whole Empire. (Cheers.) He had ventured at tho Imperial Conferenco to sketch an outline of what he believed to be possible. Tho scheme might develop on different lines, but ho was satisfied that men wea-s realising the necessity of establishing some structure, some council of defence, or some parliament of defence, which would be above and beyond party and clear of all local interests in. the Old Country or in the new lands, which would enable all portions of tho British people i to co-operato in consolidating and maintaining tho Empire. (Cheers.)' Lord Plunkct proposed "The Builders," and Admiral Sir Digb.v Morant replied. The chairman then proposed the- health of Sir Edward Morris, Premier of Newfoundland, and Lady Morris, as representatives of their overseas Dominions. In acknowledging the toast Sir Edward Morris said that he agreed with the chairman that that was a red-letter day in the history of the Empire, because the vessel they had jnst seen launched was really the first tangible work accomplished as regarded the Union of the Empire through tho Navy! (Applause.) The suggestion had been made that Newfoundland might follow the example of New Zealand in. ordering a "Dreadnought." He did not despair that in the future the small country which ho represented— email not in point of territory or love of Empire or patriotism','but small in pmt'' of population—would sbe able to follow that example, but he reminded them that they had already done something for the Empire, as for-the last twenty years .the fishermen of Newfoundland had' taxed themselves for the purpose of training men to help in manning the British Navy.