NEW VESSELS FOR THE NAVY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2211, 28 March 1881, Page 3

NEW VESSELS FOR THE NAVY.

[“Times.”] Official returns recently prepared and issued show that eight vessels of various tonnage and power were launched within the past half-year, and that at tbe present time there are twenty-two others under construction at the various Government dockyards or by private shipbuilders. The vessels now being fitted for service, or ready for commission, include two composite screw sloops of 1137 tons and 900-horse power engines, each to carry six guns, named the Espiegle and Mutine, built at Dsvonport; five composite screw gunboats, of 461 tons, and engines of 360 horse power, each to carry four guns, built at Barrow-in-Furness by the Barrow Shipbuilding Company, and named the Banterer, Grappler, Wasp, and Wrangler ; and theEspoir, built at Pembroke Dockyard ; and a screw composite gun vessel, sister ship to the Rambler and Ranger, of 774 tons, with engines of 750-horse power, built by Messrs Harland and Wolff, of Belfast, to carry three guns, and named the Algerine. The new vessels ordered to be constructed, and for which the necessory preparations are now being made, include three composite screw sloops of 1420 tons and 930 horsepower engines, designed to carry six guns, to je named the Heroine and Hyacinth, ordered to be built at Devonport, and the Satellite, to be built at Sheerness; three screw composite gunboats, each to carry four guns, of 455 tons and 360-horse power engines, ordered of Messrs. Samuda Brothers, of Poplar, and to be named the Raven, Starling, and Stork (these vessels are similar to those building at Pembroke) ; a schooner for surveying service on the Australian station, to bo named the Lark, building at Messrs. Westaoott and Son’s, Barnstaple; and a paddle composite steam vessel, of 400 tons, to bo fitted with engines of 350-horte power, building at Messrs.'Samuda Brothers, Poplar, to be named the Triton, Tbe other vessels under construction, some of which are in a forward state for launching, comprise a double screw steel armour-plated barbette ship, twin screw, of 9150 tone, with engines of 7000-horse power, to be furnished with ten guns, to be named the Oollingwood, and building at Pembroke ; three double screw steel second-class steam cruisers, to carry each ten guns of 3748 tons, and engines of 5000 horse power, te bo named the Arethusa, Leander, and Phaeton, under construction at Glasgow by Messrs Napier and Sons ; two steel double screw gunboats, of 254 tons each, and engines of 168-horse power, to be armed with only one gun each, and building at Pembroke Dockyard, to be named tbe Bouncer and Insolent; two screw corvettes of steel and iron cased with wood, each of 2380 tons, with engines of 2300-horse power, to carry fourteen guns each, building at Portsmouth, to be named the Canada and Cordelia ; two double screw steel armour-plated turret ships, of 9146 tons burden, to be fitted with engines of 6000horse power, one building at Pembroke, to be named the Majestic, and the other at Portsmouth, to be named the Colossus, each designed to carry six guns; two screw composite gunboats, of 455 tons, each to carry four guns, with 360-horse power engines, sister ships to the Eepoir, recently launched, to be named the Bullfrog and Cockchafer, under construction at Pembroke Dockyard ; a double screw steel armour-plated turret ship and ram, of 6200 tons, to be supplied with engines of 4500 horsepower, to be named the Conqueror, and under construction at Chatham. This vessel, which will be entirely coated with steel armonr, will carry four heavy guns; in the wake of her turret guns and in other exposed positions the thickness of her armour will be 12 inches. She is being built on the lines of the Rupert, and will probably be ready for launching this year ; also a double-screw steel armour plated torpedo ram, with a displacement of 2610 tons, and to bo fitted with engines of 5500 horsepower, to be named the Polyphemus, and under construction at Chatham Dockyard. This vessel when finished will be totally different from any other vessel at present belonging to the Royal Navy. She is being built somewhat on the plan of the cigar-ship, and will be furnished with a ram of a formidable description, coming to a point and projecting several feet from her stem. As she is being built upon a slip, it will be necessary to have the majority of her plates put on after she is launched. Her cigar-shaped form, which in ordinary circumstances will be submerged, will not be heavily plated, but her top or tortoise-like back will be adequately protected with steel plates.