THE SHIP FOR THE ROYAL TOUR

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 42, 13 November 1926, Page 21

THE SHIP FOR THE ROYAL TOUR

The battle-cruiser Renown, which has been chosen to convey the Duke and Duchess of York to Australia, is one of the three biggest, ships in the navy. Her sister vessel, tile Repulse, and the gigantic Hood are the other two. Since the Renown was last in Australian waters, with the Prince of Wales, six years ago, she has undergone an extensive refit. This has taken three years and is only now on the eve of being completed. Probably it has cost much more than .£1.000,000 (says a naval correspondent in the "Daily Mail”). Among other things, the battle-cruiser has been bulged against torpedo attack, and her armour protection has been unproved. She ranks now among the smartest-looking and most up-to-date warships afloat • Coming thus fresh from dockyard hands the Renown needs little to equip her for the royal tour. So far, no order for special work of any kind has been given. The Renown is being fitted out ns a warship pure and simple, and that process goes on unchanged as vet. When she wns first selected for the Prince of Wales’ voyage in 1919 some few structural changes were made. These included the construction of a small state deck above the apartments which the Prince occupied, and t>e building of some additional cabins. In the naval nhrnse. all tl’i« was "let handy” for.the Prince’s subsequent voynges in the shin ft will remain and bo re-adapted for the use of the Du -c and nnc.hess with but little cost or trouble. The Duke and Duchess will occnrv the same apartments ns those riven nn to the Prince of Wales Those are in the offer nart of th? vessel and comprise a large state-room and dinin"room, with sleenpm P i>bi»* adjacent. Veer hr are cabins for' fbeir sn.tc. while the flnnrini’c iPfltOP nfonfrv of room for nrom*nHriin«* Vo,.’- wW nJ ' - ‘ * 1 ref nnr roval In' ll **’ to ni A, ’o * wore*'in Ac T»v,r»onqq nf AVfjfoc, U'D ’ 4 nie'ff '* T’Jnrr fn in Hia nW r *n»yn” r » hnWv th* cimilnvffv in hn* cnnio in the o ’oi r ’ of a ship for the Duke and Duchess.