NationStates Jolt Archive


First Capital Ship of the Linhower Plan Completes Trials!

Iansisle
18-05-2004, 06:44
From Page 2A of the Ianapalis Star Tribune:

First Capital Ship of the Linhower Plan Completes Acceptance Trials!
HIMS Gurney to be officially accepted to fleet next week

Herman S. Captown
Staff Writer

IANAPALIS, Iansisle -- With a crowd of spectators cheering wildly on shore, His Iansislean Majesty’s Ship Gurney showed off her legs for the first time in front of an official navy panel.

Gurney performed a four hour maximum power workout yesterday with her new master, Captain Lord Arthur Clayburgh, commanding. Lord William, younger brother of both Admiral the Marquess of Westergate, Lord Commander Home Fleet, and Captain Lord William Clayburgh, Commander HIMS Queen Jessica, has risen quickly through the ranks and is proving the finest credit to one of the Shield’s oldest and most prestigious seafaring families.

The other three ships of the Crown class, HIMS Prince of Shadoran, Princess Royal, and Queen Consort, are still experiencing difficulties with their four dual 15”/42 turrets.

Jonathan Nemos, the official spokesperson for Jorgensen and Sons of Ianapalis, was quoted as saying that the trouble “lay in trying to mate Walmie guns to a Shieldian-designed turret. There’re still a few kinks we have to iron out.”

However, Nemos went on to postulate that the guns, acquired from ally Walmington on Sea, still ought to prove the best of Iansisle’s capital ship weapons. “They’re much better at punching through armor than the old 14 inchers, and shouldn’t have any of the mechanical problems of the 16 inchers. Once we get these bugs worked out, I think these guns and platforms will see long and productive service in His Majesty’s Navy.”

Gurney was named after Commodore Sir Thomas Gurney, who was awarded the Ian’s Cross posthumously for his heroic role in the Battle of Salvador. Gurney is only Iansisle’s second ship of the line to be named after a naval hero. The first was the broadside battleship Lord Tri, fourth of the Diomedes class.

Baron Linhower, the First Lord of the Admiralty, was away supervising construction on the mobile aeroflyer dock Nike in Delton during the ceremonies. He left a note with the Admiralty’s press department stating how much he regretted missing the trials of the first ship of the line to be completed under his naval buildup.

The Linhower Plan, which calls for the construction of eight capital ships, sixteen mobile aeroflyer docks (most less than twenty thousand tons), twenty eight heavy and light cruisers, and one hundred and twenty six destroyers inside of ten years, has been called the most ambitious naval buildup in the history of the world. However, there are already signs than the hasty timetable may not be doable: the delays with implementing the Walmingtonian turrets are just one symptom of industry wide exhaustion.

Jaxley and Blott of Mansmouth, Weshield, have recently informed the Admiralty that they will not be able to deliver the destroyer Dryad (of the Delta class) for another three months beyond the due date because of problems with the radio-controlled range finders delivered by RSU Industries.

Additionally, the office of the Fifth Sea Lord has announced that a recent slow-down in enlistment rates means that it will not be able to properly man one of the other thirteen Delta class vessels scheduled to be completed in two weeks without reinstituting the press.

The government of the Dominion of Tharia protested Vice Admiral Lord Maretown’s pronouncement, claiming that Commonwealth-wide presses invariably target Tharians more than the citizens of any other member state. High Elder Lord Thesia of the Dominion claimed that the press, which was instituted for three years during the war, caused extensive damage to the economy of the East Arm, which is primarily reliant upon harvesting the rich fisheries in western Troobodia Bay.

Vice Admiral Sir Cedric Mayfield was quick to respond to Lord Thesia’s charges. “No one would regret another press more than us,” the Admiralty’s spokesperson said at a press conference Thursday, “but unless enlistment rates pick up again, I’m afraid we’ll have no other choice. Tharia should be proud of the navy’s reliance upon its fine sailing men. If anything, the Dominion’s sailors proved themselves every bit the equal of the Shieldian fighting-man in the last war.”

Whatever the political ramifications, the Linhower Plan is drawing enthusiastic support from the general population. “It’s good to be able to think of Iansisle as a first rate power again,” said Peter Lamhurst, a foreman at Jorgensen and Sons’ primary Ianapalis yard. “I’ve been over every bit of that ship, and I know she’ll give a good account of herself against Chiang, the Clerks, or anyone else stupid enough to test Shieldian steel.”

Grand Admiral Sir Richard Tri, the First Sea Lord, was present on the ramparts of Dun Adien with Her Highness the Princess of Shadoran to watch Gurney complete her acceptance trials. His and Her Iansislean Majesties were also slated to attend, but are still on extended vacation in Celeborne.
Iansisle
18-05-2004, 07:59
((ah, the pre-sleep egobump *feels better*))
Iansisle
19-05-2004, 07:58
((I'm not feeling the love :(

...maybe I just ought to bump this when people are awake? ))
Larkinia
19-05-2004, 08:00
*Tag to figure out a response other than "Lock phasers on target, Chekov." :P *
Knootoss
19-05-2004, 08:38
*gives Iansisle some love*

"Its a ship... errrr... which is nice. Not terribly advanced though. But nice."
~Comment by some random navy person.
Iansisle
20-05-2004, 05:36
((Ah, now I feel the love :D. Thanks for stroking my ego, fellows! (could this be another bump cleverly disguised as some sort of thank you message? nah...that's just paranoid!)))
Sakkra
20-05-2004, 06:21
OOC: A TAG to keep abreast of these events. It may be out of my time-frame, but it's still a good read.