H.M.A.S. Canberra at Wellington

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 5, 6 January 1940, Page 6

H.M.A.S. Canberra at Wellington

10,000-TON CRUISER l’er Press Association. WELLINGTON, Jan. 5. Flying the flag of Rear-Admiral J. G. Grace, H.M.A.S. Canberra has arrived at Wellington and is berthed at Aotou Quay. The Canberra is no stranger to Wellington, which she has visited several times with her sister-ship, H.M.A.S. Australia. Her last visit to this port was i' April, 1937, when she came in compa. .. with the Australia and Sydney, the escort ship Swan and three destroyers, after carrying out exercises iu tho Tasman Sea with H.M. ships Achilles, Wellington and Leitb. The Canberra and Australia were built in 1927-28 by John Brown and Co., of Clydebank. After her trials the Canberra in October, 1925, served with the Atlantic Fleet for some months before proceeding to Australia. The Canberra, which lias a standard displacement of 9850 tons, measures 530 feet in length by 68 feet 4 inches in breadth. She is propelled by gearedturbine engines of 80,000 horse-power, giving her a speed of 23 knots. She is armed with eight 8-inch guns, four 4inch anti-aircraft guns, and a number of smaller weapons, and mounts eight torpedo-tubes. The Canberra also carries ono aircraft. Including the Canberra and Australia, 13 of the 10,000-ton 8-inch-gun cruisers were built for the British naval forces. Their immediate successors were the sister cruisers York and Exeter, -which on a displacement of 8390 tons, mount six 8-inch guns and four 4-inch antiaircraft guns. These ships were followed by the 6-inch gun cruisers of the Lcandor class, which includes the Achilles und Ajax.