Ships Cover for the Orion class battleships HMS Conqueror (1911), HMS Monarch (1911), HMS Orion (1911) and HMS Thunderer (1911). The documents inside primarily comprise correspondence regarding tenders to contracting firms for the construction of the ships and supply of fittings and equipment, statements of dimensions and estimates of weights [with stability curves], schemes of complement and details of the armour and protection scheme, and the planned gun and torpedo armament. Two items which are of note are a document reporting on the 1909 deputation from Thames Iron Works to secure the contract for building one of this class, and a later paper outlining Admiralty concerns over the suitability of Thames Iron Works' facilities for launching large warships. The last part of the cover contains reports of various trials of the ships and their equipment. The papers cover the period July 1909 to August 1917.