A RUSSIAN CRUISER.

Kumara Times, Issue 1163, 21 June 1880, Page 4

A RUSSIAN CRUISER.

[LONDON TIMES.]

The construction on the Clyde, at Messrs John Elder and Co.’s yard, of a Popoff yacht for the Czar, which is at the same time a powerful fighting ship for shallow waters, is not the only sign of the activity of Russia in strengthening herself at sea. The Russian Volunteer Fleet, the patriotic organisation which procures ships with funds derived from public subscription, and has them manned and officered by the Imperial Navy, is having a fast cruiser built for it near Toulon under the supervision of the Imperial Government. The Compagnie Nouvelle des Forges et Cbantiers de la Mediterrauhe now possesses the shipbuilding yard at La Seyne, at which 6000 or 7000 men have been employed at one time in turning out vessels of war for Spain, Russia, and other foreign countries. La Seyne is in a bay sheltered by the green headlands which enclose the roadstead of Toulon, and is half an hour’s sail from |the quay of Toulon town* At present the yards are comparatively slack, but one of the two large vessels building on the sequestered beach opposite the first naval arsenal of France is the new Russian cruiser—a fast and strong boat of steel and iron, armed with a beak, destined to carry tea and other high freighted merchandise in time of peace, and in war to have her station whereever the merchantmen of the hostile Power congregate. The name of the as yet unfinished cruiser is the Jaroslaw. The Russian Volunteer Fleet has four other vessels, named, like this, "after the place which has contributed the funds required to build or buy them. These are the Moscow, the Nijui Novgorod, the Russia, and, lastly, the St tetersburg (formerly the Thuringia of the HamburgAmerican Company), which is lying here now under repair immediately opposite the slip on which the Jaroslaw is being built. The Jaroslaw is sufficiently advanced to enable the visitor to form an idea of herfsize and general design. She is about 310 ft long, and her greatest width is 12 5 metres. Her depth is 8.2 metres, and her draught 6 metres. Her is 3150 tons. She is built with fine lines, and has an overhangmg stern. She is strengthened with a double bottom, and her plates are two thirds of an inch thick. It is stated that she has eight bulk heads, but I was not able to check this number by observation, ibe engines are not yet in her. She will not, indeed, be launched for some months. When the engines arrive from Marseilles they are expected to indicate 3000 horsepower, and to give the Jaroslaw a speed w niT I 510 Ift knots an hour > which would be sufficient, if maintained, to enable her to overhawl our fastest mail boats, although the most recent of these have exceeded that rate on their trial trips. Her armament will weigh 150 tons, and will consist of four cannon and two mortars. M. Lagarne is the engineer bywhom she has been built. There are no very noticeable novelties in the design of the Jaroslaw ; she is not from the point of view of naval science so remarkable as the Admiral Dupenfi—great turret ship for the French Government just launched from the La Seyne yard-or even as the Stella Maria-a ship fitted with elaborate refrigerating apparatus for the trade in fresh meat and fish between Amenca and France, which is building close by in the same yard. It is as an instance of the determination of Russia to be in a position to cause annoyance to a maritime foe that she is worthy of observation, and the danger she exemplifies will probably best to be met in England by the general adoption of the plan for strengthening and arming our mail steamers and merchant steamers which was originated by Mr Ward Hunt and so warmly taken up by Mr W H* Smith. Great interest is felt in the scheme abroad, and there is considerable curiosity to know how many ships have been placed upon the Admiralty list, and how the shipowners are to be compensated for their alterations in construction In the meantime it will not be uninterestpg . 0 . ve learnt what preparations Russia is making in the Western Mediterranean, building under the guns of Toulon as she builds also under those of the guardship on the Clyde

Constables Townshend and Colbourne, who cleverly captured Butler, have received gratuities of L2O each from the Superin. tendent of Constabulary. They have also been promised promotion at the earliest convenience, A gratifying instance of presence of mind and pluck on the part of a youngster, and of the recognition of those qualities by the parties in whose interests they were chiefly exercised (says the Southland Times) has just been brought to our notice. Some week or two ago Mr Robert Preston, settler, Waikiwi, had occasion to be away from home for a night, leaving his family—two boys and five girls—in charge of the premises. During the night the boys awoke and found their bedroom filled with smoke. Both lads jumped up, the elder one leaving the house and running to alarm the neighbors. The younger one, Tom, aged 14, set to work, and discovering the seat of the fire to be under the kitchen floor, seized a crowbar, which happened to be handy, tore up the boards and put the fire out, thereby saying the house and its contents from certain destruction. Mr Preston brought the circumstance f the case under the notice of the North British Insurance Company, in whose office the house was insured, and had the pleasure of receiving through the agents, Messrs Murray, Dalgleish, and Co., the present of a massive silver watch and chain for his brave and thoughtful boy. The gift was richly deserved, and no doubt the donors, equally with ourselves and the ?or S« W 1 V iah J Tom ” health t 0 wear it tor many a long day.