Ping Hai a Credit to the Kiangnan Dock With aeroplanes zooming overhead, and sirens screaming, the latest ad-ition to the Chinese Navy, the Ping Hai, slid off the stocks of the Klangnan Dak, on Saturday afternoon, and olided out into the Whangpoo. officers, not only of the Chinese Dut also of foreign naval units ed in Shanghai, were present at the ceremony. Admiral C. L. Chen, Vice-'Minister of Navy, swung the champagne bottle against the side of the ship, and named her the Ping Hal. With him on the platform were other high officers of the Navy. including Capt, P., Ma, director of Kiangnan Dock; Capt. T. F. Chen, assistant director; and Capt. E. K. Cheng.
The ship was to have been launched by the Minister of Marine, Admiral S.K. Chen, but unfortunately he became "ill" that morning, "and now in the Palace Hotel," However, hho sent his earliest congratulations and best wishes for the success of the new cruiser.
The British Navy was represented by Commander (&) J. G, Moncrieff, and four other oticers, and the British Defence Forces by Major W. Hender~ son: 'The new Cuin-C. of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, Rear-Admiral Murfin, who will take over his new command shortly was also present, fand the Japanese Naval." Landing Party was represented by Rear-'Admiral' Araki. From the Customs there were Sir Frederick and Lady Maze, Capt. L. R. Carrel, Capt.
B. Terry and Mrs, Terzy, Capi. F. /Sabel, Capt. H. E. Hillman, Mz. and Mrs.'A. 8. Forbes, and Mr.
Lawson Commander and Mrs. W. A.
Eliot, of the Asiatic Petroleum Company, were also present, Several thousand people were pre sent at the launching, with a fair sprinking of foreigners among them, The new ship was taken down-river to her new berth just above her sister ship, the Ninghai, which is a cruiser in every way identical to the Ping The Ping Hal is of 2,500 tons displacement, and it is expected she will have a speed of 23 Knots, Her enines are of 11,000 horse-power. had originally been intended to build her in 1981, but the laying of her keel was delayed until last. autumn. 4 rapidly, and year she wi ready to take the water.
The Chairman of the National Gov-just before the Jounching, sent a letter of greeting to Admiral Chen, and informed him, officially, that the name of the new was to be the Ping Hal, After the ceremony, the guests attended a reception at the "dock, where Admiral Chen gave a toast 10 the success.of the Ping Hal
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.