OFFICIAL WIRELESS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1928, Page 2

OFFICIAL WIRELESS

(British Official Wireless). A NEW CRUISER. FORMIDABLE FIGHTING SHIP. RUGBY, July 17. Tho cruiser York, one of the throe large ships authorised in the Navy estimates for 1926-27, was launched this afternoon at Yarrow-on-Tyne by the Duchess of York Unlike earlier cruisers built since the Washington Conference, which have been of 10,000 tons, HALS. York will displace only 8000, and she is regarded as being of the most useful type for trade route protection purposes. Owing to the decrease in tonnage, it has been necessary to reduce weight allotted to armament, which in the Kent class comprises eight eight-inch guns. HALS. York will mount only six of these weapons, but as the new eight-inch gun is a weapon of exceptional range and power, throwing a projectile of 280 pounds, the new cruiser, despite the reduction in size, will bo a very formidable figliting craft. It is probable that she will be somewhat faster than tlie / Keiit ships, which have engines capable of a speed of 311- knots. It will bo recalled that at the Geneva Naval Limitation Conference last year, Britain proposed that the maximum tonnage of cruisers should be restricted to 8000. This was resisted by the United States. Two other cruisers of the 1926 programme, which are building, are of 8000 tons, and the only cruiser provided for in the 1927 estimates will shortly be laid down at Devonport. She will have a displacement of 8000 tons.

LADY NELSON LAUNCHED. RUGBY, July 18,

The Lady Nelson, the first of a fleet of five twin-screw steamers being built for Canadian National Steamships, Limited, to ply between Canada and the West Indies, was launched to-day at Birkenhead.

v PULVERISED COAL. , , RUGBY, July 18. The Secretary for Mines stated in the House of Commons to-day that pulverised coal was being used on the laud, on a commercial basis, with established success, but for use at sea it had not reached that stage. Experiments in connexion with pulverised coal were being carried out under the Department of Scientific Research through the Fuel Research Board.

PRINCE OF WALES. FLIGHT TO GRIMSBY. RUGBY, July 17. The Prince of Wales is flying from London to Grimsby to-morrow. He has several engagements in the town on Thursday, including visits to fishing vessels in the harbour in his capacity as Master of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets.

IMPROVED HEALTH,

PLAGUES’ SMALL TOLL OF LIFE

RUGBY, July 18.

Some 1-ICO delegates from most of the European countries, the British Dominions, and the United States, are attending the annual conference of the Royal Sanitary Institute at Plymouth. Delivering his inaugurate address, Lord Astor referred to the improvement in the health of the community.

He said that in Britain to-day fewer lives were lost by plagues, including smallpox, ill a, year than were . lost through accident on a successful public holiday. This wonderful improvement in public health lias been achieved by making available for everyone more sunlight, fresli a.ir, wholesome food, and pure water, rather than by tlio use of drugs.

Better factory conditions bad also largely contributed.

A BRITISH OPERA

RUGBY, July 18

Dr Vaughan Williams, the prominent British composer, lias writtei a full length opera, having Falstaff as tho central character, the first performance of which will shortly be given at the Royal College of Music.

DUKE OF YORK’S MESSAGE RUGBY, July 17.

The Duke of York, president of the British Empire Cancer Campaign, in a message of welcome to delegates at the international conference on cancer, telegraphed : “Many of you have travelled great distances to contribute your experience to the knowledge of this very important and difficult subject, and I desire to express the hope that the united experience of. those attending the conference may in turn enable all delegates to carry back to their own hospitals, institutions and research centres throughout the world more intimate knowledge of the subject to aid them in their'quest.”