Invitations were issued to quite a mumber of people to come and see the launching of the above vessel at Messrs. Farnham, Boyd & Co,'s Pootung works on turday afternoon. Mrs. Strnve, the the Superintendent, was to have wed the boat, but much to the of all present the rain kept ladies aw The launch therefixe took place without any ceremony. Mr. Mackenzie supervised the work, and wont 3 pam. gave the signal to launch. The last piles were then knocked away and after a few turns of a screw to put pressure on the cradle the vessel began slowly to slide off the stocks. As she got nearer the water the paco increased and she entered the river. beautifully, When she had got a short way out one of the how anchors was dropped in order to steady her, and a few minutes later she proceeded under her own steam to the New Dock, where she will undergo a final overhaul before being sheathed with copper.
The Mindanao is a composite ship 140 feet long and 25 feet broad, whilst under ordinary circumstances she draws about, 11 feet 9 inches of water. She is the thirteenth steamer of this class built messrs. Farnham, Boyd and Ca., and ig the third of a repeat order of five which that firm received after the first contract of ten had been delivered. The remaining two will he launched within the next two months. The propelling power consists of one set of compound irface condensing engines having cylinders 18" and 36" in diamr., by 24" stroke, designed for a working pressure of 120 pounds per square inch, to drive the d 11 knots. The Mindanao after being sheathed with copper will be sent to Manila, where she will have a few small guns mounted preparatory to en-upon her duties as a Revenue Crniser for the Philippines. These boats ave been built in the exceptionally short time of four months.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.