Ships Cover for the King Edward VII class first class battleships HMS Africa (1905), HMS Britannia (1904), HMS Commonwealth (1903), HMS Dominion (1903), HMS Hibernia (1905), HMS Hindustan (1903), HMS King Edward VII (1903) and HMS New Zealand [Zealandia from 1911]. The documentation mainly comprises brief design statements, correspondence with contractors and details of tenders, schemes of complement, detailed papers relating to ships fittings, equipment and machinery, stability calculations, armament returns, details of alterations, and reports of steam, water test and gunnery trials. The earliest papers date from April 1901 with the authorisation to construct the first vessels and the last from April 1913 when all had been in front line service for nearly a decade. In spite of its designation as Cover 172B this item is actually 172A. Some very brief papers relating to the design of this class are to be found in Ships Cover 193.