The luxurious passenger ship Asturias (Yard No. 388) was launched today for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. The 12,001-ton vessel was the fifth steamer of the well-known ‘A’ class of the RMSP.

Asturias was 535 feet in length, with a gross register of about 12,500 tons. Her passenger accommodation was described as ‘most luxurious’ and all on the upper deck, including ‘cabins de luxe’, ‘state cabins with bedsteads’, with a very large number of single-berth cabins, a nursery, electric laundry, a gymnasium and an electric passenger elevator serving all the decks. Asturias was intended for Australian mail service and made her maiden voyage on 24 January 1908.

The passenger ship Canada (Yard No. 300) was delivered today to Richard Mills & Co, Liverpool (Dominion Line). The 8,800-ton vessel was destined to serve for many years with White Star in the Company’s joint service to Canada.

The passenger / car ferry St. David (Yard No. 1717) was launched today for Barclays Mercantile Industrial Finance. The 7,109-ton vessel was managed and operated by Sealink (UK) Ltd.

The 6,446-ton oil tanker Lepton (Yard No. 1346) was launched today for Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co.

The refrigerated cargo ship Empire Star (Yard No. 957) was launched today for the Blue Star Line Ltd. The 11,093-ton vessel had been laid down in the yard with the name Sydney Star but during construction her name was changed. The Empire ships were a series of ships in the service of the British Government.

They were used during World War II by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT), who owned the ships but contracted out their management to various shipping lines.