ARMING FAST CRUISERS. Charter of the Coptic and Kaikoura. Auckland, April 18.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 99, 25 April 1885, Page 6

ARMING FAST CRUISERS. Charter of the Coptic and Kaikoura. Auckland, April 18.

The steamship Coptic, which is now in harbour, has boon chartered by the Imperial Government as a fast cruiser for the New ZeaUnd coast. Arrangoraonts are now being made to avoid sending her on tho homeward voyage. Tho Coptic is a new vossol, and is bujlt of mild steel, tho ductile quality of which insures tho maximum of strength and durability. Her dimension? are : — Longth, 430 feet; breadth, 42 feet; depth, 24 feet ; and tho gross register tonnage 4,308 tons. She has two doublecylindered engines of 450 horso-power. She has eight water tight compartments upon a system which has been adopted in H.M. Navy. Tho N.Z. Shipping Company's Kaikoura, now ona voyage to thecolony,hasalso, we learn, been taken by tho Admiralty as a war cruiser. This vessel is also divided into eight watertight compartments, five of which uro carried up to the spar deck, with fire-proof and watertight doors. She is entered on tho Admiralty list as a transport of the highest class She is built, entirely of steel. The principal dimon&iona of tho vessel are as follows .- Length, between perpendiculars, 420 feet ; length overall, 40l feet ; breadth, 4(5 feet ; depth, 33 feet 4 ii.chcs ; with a gros3 tonnago of 4,6j0 tons. 'Tho engines indicate about 4,000 hor-,e-power, and her remarkable speed has already been put to the test on her maiden voyage.