Marking a step forward in the progress of the Naval Ministry's Kiang-haa Dock, the construction of the Ping Hal, the biggest warship to be built "by the "yard, began earnest on Saturday following the arrival on Thursday of Mr. 'Toshio 'Jimbo, one of the best known Japa~ nese technical experts on ship building, and seventeen Japanese workers, specially trained' at the Haruna' Shipbuilding & Engineering Ca, Ltd, near Kobe, The Ping Hai, with displacement of 3,000 tons, Is fo be a sister ship of the Ning Hai, which was completed at the Haruna Dock two years ago. The new cruiser is expected to be completed in two years at a cost of below $8,000,000, Me, Jimbo, who is also a director of the Haruna Dock, and the seven teen Japanese workers, including Mr. 7. Hirayama, foreman, arrived in the N.Y.K. s, Nagasaki Maru yesterday afternoon, The group were met on the Wayside Whart by Mr. Chao Liewu, of the Ministry of Navy. Several "officials of the Kiangnaa Dock later called on Mr. Jimbo at the latter's quarters at the Toyo Hotel' in Chapoo An Old Agreement The arrival of the Japanese shipbuilding expert and the workers fuldlls an agreement entered into between the Chinese Naval Ministry and. the Haruna Dock before the construction of the Ning Hai, which required the Haruna Dock engineers to come out to the Kiangnan Dock when the sister cruiser, Ping Hai, was to be constructed. it is understood that more Japanese are to arrive at the Kiangnan Dock when required.
The Ping Hai will be 260 feet over all, 39 feet beam, and is to have a Speed of 25 knots. The. vessel will be equipped with three 14 em. twin turret guns; six 8 em. anti-aircraft guns; four machine guns; and two double-tube torpedo mountings. She will have two searchlights, wireless telephone and radio compass. "Unlike her sister cruiser, she will not carry any seaplane.
Though the keel of the new cruiser was laid on July 9, 1981, the construction was inevitably Interrupted by the Mukden Incident and Sino-apanese hostilities in Shanghai. As further delay will damage the stoat plates and certain parts of machinery imported from England and Ger~ many some time ago, the authorities recently ordered work on it to be
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