An item reported that the Chinese government ordered four months earlier the building of six floating batteries for the defence of Yangstze and of which in the meantime two were launched. Messrs S.C. S.C. Farnmah&Co. made the design. To speed up the work two were built at the Kiangnan arsenal, two by Messrs. Farnham&Co. At Shuntah’s shipyard and the remaining two by Messrs. Boyd&Co., Pootun. One was launched by Farnham&Co. at the Shuntah’s shipyards on 17 October at 12:20 p.m. and another by Boyd&Co. at 2:20 p.m. The battery was a two-decked vessel strong built but of wood with as dimensions 136 (over all) x 36 x 12 (deep) feet. On the upper deck was a turret of wood positioned with 3-12 ton Armstrong guns. The lower deck was divided into six compartments. Two smaller ones fore and aft were used for stores and so on. A large compartment forward accommodated about 50 marines just like a similar one aft. Amidships was the saloon for the five officers and finally was between their quarters and the marines accommodation fore an ammunition magazine situated. The battery had no masts and sails or propelling power and depended on other vessels to be towed to the desired anchorage.(1)
Note
1. The Australian newspaper North Australian dated Friday 12 October 1883 confirmed this newsitem.
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