Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-23
ENGLAND'S LATEST WARSHIP
Launch of One of the Worlds Six Largest
81.
Battle Ships.
The London is n Successor to Some of
sSf
Britain's Most Hfstoric Fight
al.
ing cfaft.
From the London TelegrapS.-

NJ
From the London Telegraph
The new battle ship, SLondon-one of the
six largest warships Sin the world-was
launched from the building slip at Ports
mouth dockyard today, and christened by
the wife of Lord George Hamilton. AL
though described as an improved Formid-
able the London really belongs to group
of battle ships described by Mr.. Goschen as
Identical in speed, armament and dimen-
sions. Three of them-the Formidable, the
Irresistible and the Implacable-have al
ready been launched, and are now well in
hand toward completion OF the other
three, the London is the first to take the
water Her sister ships are the Venerable,
building at Chatham, and the Bulwark, in
course of construction at Davenport. These
six ships are really improved Majestlcs.
They are a hundred tons heavier than the
flagship. of the channel fleet and have
more powerful guns and armor of the
latest quality, associated with higher speed
and water-tube boilers. Between the For
mdable and the Loncon groups there is,
however, difference in the way in which
the armor has been distributed, for, where
as in the Formidable group the water-line
armor belt only extends over ZIG feet of the
ships side, in the London and her sisters
it is carried right up to the bows All these
ships were designed by Sir William White
assistant controller and director of naval
construction.
1t was on December that the London
was laid down, so that she has been little
more than nine months under construction,
during which time 5000 tons have been
built into the vessel. She is 430 feet long
over all and 400 feet between perpendicu-
lars, 70 feet broad, has a displacement or
1900 TONS which will give mean draught
rNf yv,oh cir -
inches thick and 10 feet deep, as in the For
midable, but whereas the armor In the
Formidable extends for length OF ZIG feet
amidships, in the London 1t Will be contln-
ued, with a gradual reduction in thickness,
right forward. to meet the special plating
on the bow, and will be treated by the I'M
proved Harveyed process. An athwart-
ship armor bulkhead will be fitted at the
after end of the side armor, but forward
none is required, owing to the extension OF
the side armor The after bulkhead varies
in thickness from inches to II inches. Inc
middle deck on which the armor rests, is OF
the now usual turtle-backed shape. II Is
formed of plating inches thick on the
slopes and / inch on the nat part Inc
vessel will be propelled by twin screws,
each actuated by set of triple expansion
engines of 1900 indicated horse power: Inc
steam will be supplied by twenty indie
pendent water-tube boilers of the Belle
Vile type, fitted with all the latest I'M
provements and capable of supplying steam
at 800 pounds pressure, which VIII De re-
duced at the engines to $50 pounds pressure.
The engines and boilers are being built by
the Earle's Shipbuildfng and Engineering
Company Qimited), Hull. The amount Oh
coal carried at the above draught is ~
toms although provision is made for the
stovage of 9. 100 tons The main armament
consists of four Pinch breech-loadlng wire
guns of new and improved type, mouIileo
in pairs two firing forward ana Two Az.
The Pinch guns are protected by strong
in,
draulic mechanism and machinery are pro-
tected by circular redoubt, the thickness
of the armor being IL inches.
Besides these, the LONDON VIII nav az
auyiIiarv armament of twelve six-lnch
guns. mounted in armor classmates OF mar
viewed steel. Eight of these guns VIII De on
the main and four on the upper aeck, VIZ
four can be fired right ahead ana louI iie -. ~
astern The ammunition will be sent up 10
the classmates through .armored TUBES. SO
that 1t will be under protection from the
moment 1t leaves the magazine. IN auui-
ton the ship viii carry sixteen we've
FOUNDERS for boat and field works on the
lighting tops six three-pounders VIII be
mounted as a protection against torpedo
boat attack: eight Maxim guns are, also 10
four submerged torpedo tubes. A conspicu-
Gus feature of the ship IS her formidable
steel ram. a steel casting Weighing by llseii
over thirty-five tons, and the structure mas
prevent serious injury to the vessel when
using her ram. She will be fitted with two
masts, each having a military lighting top
and a searchlight platform, while at the
maintop masthead there Will be se!1a-
phore for long-distance signaling. The
London will carry four steamboats, and
thirteen sailing and pulling boats. She will
be lighted throughout with electric light
and four dynamos are to be htted FOR work
ing the lights, and the electric motor fans
and searchlights. A complete installation
of loud-speaking telephones, voice pipes,
etc, is also to be supplied to the important
parts of the vessel. Altogether, the Lon
don will cost just over million of money.
She was built under the direction of Mr..
F. B. Oils, constructor Portsmouth dock
yard.
No ship could have been launched under
more auspiciouS circumstances. There was
an immense attendance of spectators. The
weather was all that could be wished for.
Bunting was plentiful all around the build
ing slip, the national flags flying from small
flagstaffs erected on the London. and the
vessel looked quite bright and cheerful in
her fresh coat Of gray and red paint. On
the platform around the huge stem were
Lord and Lady George Hamilton, Rear Ad-
miral Douglas, representing the board of
Portsmouth, Admiral STR NOVEL; Salmon, a
former commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
Rear Admiral Aldrich. superintendent of
the dockyard, who IN the absence OF the
port, and a number of other officers. 1t
was Just As when the last few blocks
had been knocked away from under the
ship, and Lady George Hamilton appeared
in front of the launching platform with Mr..
Yates, chief constructor who explained to
the lady her duties. The prayers usual on
such occasions were recited by the chap
lain Of the Dockyard Church, the Rev. W.
Law, and then came the christening cere-
mony. BY means of lockwood mallet and
chisel Lady Hamilton severed the cord
holding up the weights over the dog-shores.
These, falling, knocked away the last sup
ports and the London was free. She hest
tated few seconds. and then, to the
strains of Rule Britannia by the Royal
Marine Artillery Band, glided down the
ways to the sea, where she was promptly
taken charge of by tugs and conveyed into
one of the basins.
Her majesty's latest battle ship bears a
name of which any vessel might be proud,
for there have been several Londons in the
British navy. The first ever known to
have borne that designation served in the
great fleet commissioned by King Charles
7 +o osSart tho soyareiPnty of England In