THE RENOWN'S VISIT.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16854, 7 June 1920, Page 4

THE RENOWN'S VISIT.

RECORD NTTMBE3 OF VISITORS.

Captain A. H. Thorpe, master at Lyitelion, who piloted the Renown to L'vttcltrn from Wellington, and berthed lier with despatch at No. 6 •wharf, has received -lonsing recognition 0 f his services in the shape of an .excellent photograph of his Royal Highness the Prnico of A\ ales, and betters cf appreciation from Admiral- Halsej and Commander Rogers. The pho.ocraph is antocrapherl "Edward P., rnd shows the Prince in the Uniterm of a captain in the Navy. Admiral Halsey s letter dated "Mnv 2oth, is as follows: '•Dear Captain Thorpe.—l wibh. to thank von vcrv much indeed for all the excellent arrangements made uy vou for the visit of H.M.S Renora to Lvt + elt"u, and I should like also to "congratulate you on the manner in which I am told you hertlied the ship on arrival. I .am very sorry I misled seeing you yesterday morning to tha T 'k von and say good-bye personally His 11 oval Highness desires 1110 to «end vou the. enclosed photograph a* a mark of' his appreciation for all vou have done and in remembrance of j,is visit to Lyttelt-on.—Lionel Halsey, Rear-Admiral." The letter from Commander Rogers reads: — ' '•"Dear C.mtain Thorpe—l don't for-, get things altogether, and T do hdpo you have not been put, out by my forgetfulness so far. The list of ship visitors in New Zealand is enclosed, and I think it must be nearly a rccord. "NVc had a fairly rough time when v.e cleared Cook Strait, but it began to improve on Sunday, and to-day has been perfect. Vo never had to slow dov.-n, and kept over eighteen knots <r o ing. but the old ship bucked about a little on Saturday night, when we lost the shelter of the land. Many thanks for the excellent arrangements yon made for us at Port- Lyttelton. Jvitj, ora. —Yours sinccrely, H. H. Rogers." Following is the list which Commander Rogers enclosed, tho total for each port being given :— Auckland ... — 43,009 Gisbornc ... — 2,200 Wellington 37,41)2 Picton ... ... 5,027 Lyttelton _ ... 02,000 Total ... ... 181.228 Tt will be seen that more people visited the Renown at Lyttelton than, at all the other ports combined. On Sunday, May 16th, the visitors-number-ed 20,000. which beat H.M.S. New Zealand's best day by 2000. On the New Zealand's first visit to Lyttelton the total'number of visitors was 132,000, hub oil that occasion special arranger meats were made for visitors from the whole of the South Island. The, fact that 92.000 people visited the Renown in eight days without mishap or accident of any kind reflects great- credit on the railway officials, Harbour Board staff, and the police who were engaged.