"Australian Star" newspaper, Thursday, April 10th, 1902 ( "NEW HARBOUR TRUST STEAMER "Launched this morning "The President of the Harbout Trust Board (Mr N. R. P. Hickson), accompanied by a number of gentlemen, attended at the shipbuilding yard of W. M. Ford, jun., at Berry's Bay, this morning, to witness the launching of the new steamer built for the Harbour Trust. At high water, the chocks were knocked away, and the little vessel took the water without a hitch, being christened "Lady Hopetoun" as she left the ways. The dimensions of the vessel are: Length, 77ft.; beam, 13ft.; depth, 6ft. 4in. She has a straight stem, flush decks, and an elliptical stern, and with her black hull presents a smart appearance in the water. Her deck fittings comprise a fore cabin and deckhouse, covered by a large wooden awning, running from abaft the after end of the forecabin to the taffrail. The hull is of kauri, copper fastened throughout. She is to be fitted with 230 h.p. engines by the Simpson-Strickland Co. of London, with a Thornycroft boiler, and is expected to develop a speed of about 12 knots. The engines are expected to arrive about the early part of next month.") back