LAUNCESTON

launceston, the second city of tasmania, in the county of cornwall, on the river tamar, 40 m. from the n. coast of the island, and 133 m. by rail n. by w. of hobart. the city lies amid surroundings of great natural beauty in a valley enclosed by lofty hills. cora linn, about 6 m. distant, a deep gorge of the north esk river, the punch bowl and cataract gorge, over which the south esk falls in a magnificent cascade, joining the north esk to form the tamar, are spots famed throughout the australian commonwealth for their romantic beauty. the city is the commercial capital of northern tasmania, the river tamar being navigable up to the town for vessels of 4000 tons. the larger ships lie in midstream and discharge into lighters, while vessels of 2000 tons can berth alongside the wharves on to which the railway runs. launceston is a well-planned, pleasant town, lighted by electricity, with numerous parks and squares and many fine buildings. the post office, the custom house, the post office savings bank and the launceston bank form an attractive group; the town hall is used exclusively for civic purposes, public meetings and social functions being held in an elegant building called the albert hall. there are also a good art gallery, a theatre and a number of fine churches, one of which, the anglican church of st john, dates from 1824. the city, which attained that rank in 1889, has two attractive suburbs, invermay and trevallyn; it has a racecourse at mowbray 2 m. distant, and is the centre and port of an important fruit-growing district. pop. of the city proper (1901) 18,022, of the city and suburbs 21,180. launch. (1) a verb meaning originally to hurl, discharge a missile or other object, also to rush or shoot out suddenly or rapidly. it is particularly used of the setting afloat a vessel from the stocks on which she has been built. the word is an adaptation of o. fr. _lancher_, _lancier_, to hurl, throw, lat. _lanceare_, from _lancea_, a lance or spear. (2) the name of a particular type of boat, usually applied to one of the largest size of ships' boats, or to a large boat moved by electricity, steam or other power. the word is an adaptation of the span. _lancha_, pinnace, which is usually connected with _lanchara_, the portuguese name, common in 16th and 17th century histories, for a fast-moving small vessel. this word is of malay origin and is derived from _lanchar_, quick, speedy.