GREAT FIGHTING MACHINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 282, 28 March 1913, Page 2

GREAT FIGHTING MACHINE.

BIGGEST WARSHIP LAUNCHED.

London, January 25. The Brazilian battleship Rio de Janeiro, the largest war vessel ever b>i.lt in this country, was launched at the Elswiek I'ard at Newcastle on Wednesday. | It is a curious coincidence that from • the same yard years ago was also launeii--5 ed the smallest craft ever built cue-.-?, and that was likewise for the Brazilian Government. The Rio de Janeiro is a vessel of the Dreadnought type, and a broadside fire means over fifty tons of metal being hurled at an enemy. British shipyards still' build for the world. Last year's activity has mver been equalled. There are now eighteen ships of the Dreadnought class linger construction in tlie United Kingdom ;\t various countries. Thousands of spectators assembled in and around the launch of the latest addition to the Brazilian navy. The naming ceremony was performed by Mni'. Huet de Bacellar. wife of Admiral Bacel- . lar. chief of the Brazilian Naval Mis. : ic,:i in Europe. \ Sir Andrew Noble afterwards proposed success to the vessel, which, he said, was the eleventh built by the firm for the Brazilian Government. She was the largest yet launched from that shipyard, although the Chilian battleship, Almirante Cochrane, which would be laid down immediately on the berth just vacated by the Rio de Janeiro, would compare with the last-named in respect to dimensions, displacement and power. The smallest craft ever launched from the yard, the Para, of twenty-nine tons, constructed in 18!)1, and intended for vc- < venue service, was also for the Brazilian Government. The aggregate displacement of the eleven vessels built there for' the Brazilian uacy amounted to 52.000 tons, and the horse-power to 134.000. The Rio de Janeiro was of 27,500 tons displacement. Compared with most recent and powerful vessels at present in commission in flic Brazilian Navy, the Miuas Geraes and the Sao Paulo, she was 132 ft longer, and had a displacement of S2OO tons, or over 40 per cent. in excess of these two vessels. tier main armament would consist of fourteen 12in guns, and the secondary armament of twenty (Jin guns. The total number of guns to be carried by her was forty-eight. The Minas Comes was the first vessel of her class with which it was ever attempted to fire the whole broadside armament simultaneously, and in her ease the task was successfully accomplished. The combined weight of the discharge represented four tons of projectiles. The available broadside fire of the Rio de Janeiro would be fourteen 12in guns, all of these guns being mounted on the centre line, anil ten Gin aims, the combined weight of their discharges being 50"/, tons. The whole of the guns and mountings for theso vessels had been manufactured at F.l'wick. The thickest armor on the sides of lhe Rio ile Janeiro was fl'm. and the thimn's!' Oin. The barbette armor was !iin. and tin- conning tower armor had a thickness of 12in. The whole of this urmnr weiglied over 5000 tons. She would carry a crew of 1100 officers anil i

Senlior A. Cucrre Tlnvnl. P.ra.rilian Charge (F Affair* at the Court of St. James, responded. Admiral Tinr-i-11-ir proposed prosperity to the Els vie].- fin", to which <mv Andrew Xohle replied. . Tf li-i- lii'fii fHiiiounced (hit tlm "U-'t-anl.ecd speed of the P.io de Janeiro is 2i? knnß