"THE EVILEST THING IN THE NAVY."

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2846, 10 August 1916, Page 6

"THE EVILEST THING IN THE NAVY."

LIFE ON A DESTROYER THE VIPERS OF HORNS REEF (By Patrick Yaux, in the "Manchester Guardian.") "A dog's life in the evilest thing in the navy"—that is the apt description by an experienced flotilla C.O. of existence in our destroyer craft, which have so distinguished themselves in the best fight, since Trafalgar. Occasionally in past years one has, got a glimpse of Gorman destroyers and their crews— notably there, was one occasion when tlio crows of five vessels of a division returned to their base , most abominably _ sick and wholly incapacitated physically. Ono surmises that now their favourite "shock tactics".of line abreast have 'been summarily knocked piecemeal by our flotillas; for, apparently, in the Horns Reef engagement they led l off in column of divisions, to go by the account from a survivor of tho Shark's , crew. * i Life in a devilish war-shell that covers a mile in loss than two minutes, turns at right-angles with a terrific lurch at a touch of the finger, snd rolls on tho slightest provocation till tho funnels dip is not soothing at any time. Yet in tho British navy it' is .popular, partly because of tho zest.-of it, hut more because the severity of discipline is relaxed in the torpedo-boat destroyer go long as work is done efficiently; and the sailor is allowed to smoke and enjoy himself,, if .enjoyment be possible, at hours.when in othor vessels of war routine keeps them busily engaged. With Hans in his torpedb-boat, on the contrary—unless conditions are row altered —a cat-o'-nine-tails discipline obtains without any cessation of drill and general routine. Trials of the Cook. In both services the work is hard. 1 When the craft is at sea the food is atrocious, for in anything like a tumble of 'water it . is impossible to cook or eat a meal in any comfort. In tho galley, cookie, as likely as not, may find his treasured pots and pans come clattering about'his head, or carry away as the vessel jerkily pitohes and heaves, giving a feeling something like circular • motion in the pit of the stomach; and in mess-deck or in wardroom her violent movements produce a confused medley of arms and legs, and a deluge of plates and eatables. - Tho 'space below deck, is cramped and confined, intensely hot in summer, bitterly cold in winter; for tho plates of the craft are of the thinnest-, and conduct heat or cold to perfection, despite tho corticening. All weight is cut down, and when the enormously powerful engines are running at full speed the vibration is most trying, even to . the fully seasoned., Tho crews number from 60 to 100 officers and men, the officers being a Heutcnant (lieutenant-commander in the larger vessels), -sub-lieutenant, gunner, and engineer lieutenant. Save in the latest craft there is no room for a surgeon. . The officers are berthed aft in. tiny cupboards opening into a 6mall wardroom, or in the wardroom) where they try .to eat and sleep when off duty. Their number: is so small that they are almost continuously on duty, and thus, owing to tile speedy exhaustion of her crew, none biit the largest destroyers can long keep out at sea. The bluejackets, who are berthed forward, receive 6d. a day "hardlying" money—a small additional pay to compensate for tho hardships they undergo. The work on deck is hard, but harder still in the engine-room and , stokehold, , when the'vessel is steaming in rough weather. A summit of frothing, white-capped seas, passing under fcer, lifts her stern and thrusts her forward into the .trough at express speed.' Her propellers twirl at an alarming velocity, threatening to snap the shafts from their sockets. Her men.below are thrown this way and that, and only tho guard-rails save them in the engine-room. When tho hatches'have been battened down the temperature and smell below deck aro almost insupjwrtable. When tho small craft is running at full speed in a seaway her deck is swept by tho waters. Tho seas crash on to her forecastle or turtle-backed bows, bubbling among the cables and slips, arid eddying round : the capstan, in frothing swirls. Hor knife-liko stem slices through tho mounting waters instead of rising to their "lift. i Weather Suits.Everyone is in oilskins, and most of tho seamen' live in , their "lammysuits." Cut with a lavish hand out of a material of thick brown wool wateTproof, fireproof, and soft as. blanket, the lammy-suit you can put on over uniform or other dress and defy "11 tho elements. Clad in- it, with seaboots of black greased leather up to the knee and soles three-quarters of an inch thick, with sou'-wester reaching well down the back of 'the neck, and in front almost to the eyes, and with goggles of white glass set in wire sidenettings fixed round the back of the head with strong elastic bands—the destroyer's, man'has a rig which resists all bad weather. Only, if a. slip of ice-cold water does happen to trickle down one's neck, it must swill about inside the . lammy-suit till-you or your clothing absorbs it. The officers in command of a destroyer are expected always to do and dare, or, rather, to dare and do, whether in peace or war. And in the fight of Jutland, towards, Heligoland's safe waters tho German Fleet experienced x most harassing time, notwithstandng the gallantry of their torpedo craft. Perhaps this, last stage of the engagement was the Iriost heroic of nil, as British destrovers threw themselves 'nrward to' attack the'; enemy's battleships, aided by the far-flung search"tfits from our pursuing columns. Their swift-, daring rushes would be executed not at top speed, but at about twenty to twenty-three knots; f or top speed: brings about funnel flare, ond tho spray is apt .to' betray the whereabouts of the ' assailants, active mi the darkness outside the projectors' molten beams., Through tho Tattle. of machine-suns and tho rapid reports of tho smaller quick-firers on board the German destroyers and battleships beyond the swarming hornets dashed in upon their prey and fired their torpedoes. But not for years after this war will tho real German losses bo known.

A large consignment nf drapery and 500 ladies' and children'- coats ivill bo sold by auction by Slessr- Williams and Co., Courtanay Placo, a' 2 o'clock this afternoon. This stock of drapery lias just arrived from the wrecked Rangatira, and is being sold under instructions from tlie underwriters. . Messrs. Lomax and Sherwill, laud agents, Takapaii, advertise two farm properties of MO anil 376 acres for sale. Further particulars aro in tlie advertisement. Mr. Tl. E. Loighton. under instructions from Mr. E. .T. Carter, Downer Street, I/owor Hutt, will auction household furniture and effects at the house on Saturday next, August 12, at 1.45 p.m.