H.M.S. POWERFUL LEAVES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1321, 27 December 1911, Page 5

H.M.S. POWERFUL LEAVES.

THE LAST SCENES IN SYDNEY. At 9.30 on December 19 H.M.S. Powerful slipped her moorings in Farm Cove, Sydney, for the last time preparatory to leaving for England, says tho "Sydney Daily Telegraph." A few launches and whalcboats played around the flagship in the early liours, a tug or two was busy close by, but nothing unusual seemed to bo taking place. The crew scrubbed the decks as is done every morning; there wore tho iieiuil breaks for prayers and breakfast; every* thing went on as usual. At 9 o'clock four sailors climbed down on tho hip buoy and unloosed tho moorings, whilst every available opening in tho sidn of the ship was filled with faces of men, many looking on tho harbour for tho last time. The Admiral's flag was (lying, fur Vice-Ad-miral Sir George King-Hall und Lady King-Hall woro aboard. They are going as for as Hobart, and will there await tho arrival of H.M.S. Drake, the now I-'lagship. From Hobart the Powerful sails to Colombo, where she meets tho Brake. A partial transfer of crows will take place, and tho Powerful will proceed to England with her time-expired men, while those,whose time is not up will return on the Drake. Very little in tho way nf incident marked the flagship's departure. The ship had-dropped her moorings, when a waterman s boat ranged alongside, and a belated tar■ climbed aboard. There was no fare-welling-nll that, had been done the night before. As the big flagship left her buoy tho north-westerly wind struck her aud lor a low minutes she seemed in difficulties. Two largo vessels, inward bound, had to give, way, and, instead of passing Fort Dcmson on tho south, tho Powerful went round on the northern side, whilst the other vessels were forced round tho otbor way. Then tho cruiser was under control again and to tho strains of such music as "Rolling Homo to Memo Ingr,Vl T t f? m n 1 ;* 1 ?," 10 " and "The rned ,t th tak l? (f h ° M -? tern cl,anne! - Hobarl ' steamed for