The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-28 00:00:00

Launch of an Indian Troop Ship.

One of the most remarkable results of the lath
changes in the military arrangements of India has
been the vastly increased demand for transport.
Lord Halifax, before leaving office, determined on
the creation of a fleet of screw steamers, specially
designed for this service, and yesterday the first of
five sister vessels was launched at the dockyard of
the Thames Ironworks, Shipbuilding, Engineering,
and Dry Dock Company, Blackwall. The weather,
forming an unhappy contrast to that of the previous
day, was not at all calculated to attract persons to
the banks of the river, but there was nevertheless a

large and distinguished company present. About
half-past two the vessel began to move, and she
glided majestically- into the stream causing scarcely
a ripple on the surface of the water. As she left
the stocks, Viscountess Cranborne, wife of the
Secretary of State for India, bestowed upon her,
with the customary formalities, the name of Serapis.
She is a remarkably fine vessel, and her principal
dimensions are—Length between the perpendiculars,
360 ft.; length of the keel for tonnage, 326 ft. 91 in.;
breadth for tonnage, 49 ft. ; depth in midships (from

top of keel), 34 ft. 6i in. ; burden in tons 8.M.,
4,173 25-94. Her engines are of 700-horse power
nominal, and are under construction by Messrs.
Humphrys and Tennant. Immediately after the
launch a dejeitner was served in the Mould-house to
about 250 ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Peter Rolt in
the chair. In proposing success to the vessel, Mr.
Rolt observed that she was designed by Mr. Reed,
the constructor to the Royal Navy, and he believed
that she would be found to possess a high degree of
perfection in point of speed, ventilation, capacity,
and every other quality that was attainable in ship-
building. Captain W. R. Mends, R.N., director
of the transport service, in reply, dwelt upon the
great importance of reducing the length of the
passage to India. Tell a sick soldier that in a
month he would be with his friends at home, and
he would very likely rally, but tell him that
he would be three months and a half on the voyage,
he would probably lie down in despair, and, perhaps,
die. With regard to the Serapis he had heard that
some persons had ventured upon adverse criticisms
upon her design, but such persons could not be aware
of the difficult conditions which the designer had
had to fulfil. In the first place he (Capt. Mends)
had required that she should be large enough to take
out a whole battalion, together with the wives and
families of the soldiers ; it had therefore to be made
large enough to carry no fewer than 1,500 persons.
Next, as she had to make a considerable portion of
her voyage through the tropics, he had insisted that
she should possess every possible advantage in the
way of sanitary arrangements, and he had also bee"
obliged to restrict her draught to 2lft., as she would
have to enter two bar harbours, Aden and Alexau"
dria. Lastly, he had fixed her speed at 14 knots.
It was quite possible that she might not quite attain
to that rate, but if she approached it he thought
they ought to be well satisfied. As to her construe'
tiou he might truly say that no piece of work had
ever been more beautifully put together. She did,
in fact, reflect the greatest credit upon the great
company by which she had been built, and Le
trusted that her future administration would be 3s
successful as her launch. (Cheers.) The gallant
s
officer concluded by proposing " The Health 01
Lady Crauborne' " with thanks to her for her so"
vices. Mr. Reed, in acknowledging the toast 011
behalf of her ladyship, took occasion to refer to the
remarks to which ho had from time to time been
subjected ; and to observe that no greater wider:
tune could happen to any one in his position than tO
enjoy exemption from the freest criticism. A
ber of other toasts followed, and the proceedings
were protracted through the afternoon.