The New Flag Ship.

Manawatu Herald, 13 January 1898, Page 3

The New Flag Ship.

H M.S. Royal Arthur, with Admiral Pearson on board, arrived at Sydney on Monday. The Royal Arthur is a first class twin-screw cruiser of 7700 tons, and is a splendid type of the modern fighting ship. She was built at Portsmouth, being originally laid flown an a Centaur. Her sister ships are the Edgar, Hawke, George, -Grafton, Creecenk, Endymion, Gibfalter and Theams. She is 860 ft in length, and 60ft in beam, with a draught of 23ft 9in. Her indicated horsepower is 12,000 with forced * draught, and 7500 witii natural draught, giving a speed of 20 and 18 knots respectively. She carries no side armour, but her vitals are protected by a steel deck, running from Sin to lin in thickness. The guns' crews are protected by steel Shields. The armament consists of one 9in 22-ton gun, 12 6m quickfiring guns, 12 6 pounders, 6 \i 8 pounders, and T machine guns, ' besides Wbitehead torpedo tubeß. The Royal Arthur was formerly flagship on the Pacific Station. She is a marked improvement on the Orlando, both in size and equipment. Rear-Admiral Hogo Lewis Pearson, the new Commander in-Cbief, was born in 1843, and and attained post rank in 1879, being promoted from the Royal yacht. He gained his flag in 1895. From 1892 to 1895 he was Aide-de* Camp to the Queen, and in 1895 and 1867 he was second in command of ike reserve fleet in the annual naval tdauceuvrei. .