MOTOR-BOAT PATROLS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2847, 11 August 1916, Page 6

MOTOR-BOAT PATROLS

MEN WANTED CONDITIONS, TRAINING AND PAY / INFORMATION NEEDED. .. J n yesterday's Dominion was published a. telegram from Captain Whitney, of Auckland, to Captain M'lndoe, secretary ol the ■ Merchant Service Guild, notifying that twenty-seven "Mter mariners ivero needed to leave as the crew of a vessel to sail from f*. ew for South Africa, and thereafter take up war work in the Motor Boat Patrol Service, ono of the many fringes of the fleet of which Kipling writes so luminously. Some time ago it "was announced that Captain mutnoy had been asked to act on benaii of the service in * New Zealand, ana that later Commander Armstrong, then in Canada, would arrive, to attend to the moft conclusive business. Captain Whitney, one of tho directors of the Colonial Ammunition Company, and a well-known resident of Auckland, came to Wellington to consult with His Excellency tho Governor and the Cabinet, but since then little news of a definite character has been made publie concerning 'the project. There are plenty of yachtsmen, and perhaps a good few master mariners, who would oe pleased to serve the Empire in some such congenial capacity, but it has not Seen pressed home, and even now, when a definite request is mado for the services of twenty-seven master mariners (or mates with deep-sea masters' certificates) little or nothing is known of tho details of the schemg by the men to whom the apepal is being made. Tiicy cannot, in the first instance, understand why a branch of the Admiralty is acting through a private citizen, and not through the New Zealand Government, or the representative of tho Admiralty in Wellington. Why. as ? Crew? The explanation of the telegram of yesterday referring to master mariners being required to form a crew of a vessel to South Africa is in all probability explained by the fact that a New Zealand steamer —tho Potone — Sifs been sold recently to South Africa —and' by utilising her some economy in fares might bo effected by manning the steamer as far as ine wltlt master mariners bound for the Old Country. If that is not the explanation no other can be given of a reasonable character by the shipmasters in port, who are naturally those most interested in the project. ' Conditions and Pay. - A's a matter offset,\ though, only a small proportion of those men at present commanding steamers will be needed owing to limit, which is sei out in the conditions that have been published,, in Canada, and which are assumed to be those that will apply in the case of New Zealand volunteers. This has been set out in circular form as follows:— "The British Admiralty calls for two classes of recruits: —(1) Commissioned officers for deck duties in patrol boats(2) men to run the engines. "The essential qualifications required by candidates for a commission are first-vato experience in the handling of small craft under sail or power at sea or on the great lakes: and a good knowledge of practical seamanship. Some knowledge of elementary navigation is desirable. Officers have no engineering duties to perform. The selected candidates will be provisionally entered in Canada, and sent Home to England, where, their entry being confirmed, they will commence their training forthwith. The Mother Ship. "The training consists of a month's course in navigation at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, a month or six weeks at/Southampton in the depot ship, H.M.S. Hennione, _ where the newly-entered officer. receives instruction in .rifle drill, simple gunnery, semaphore and Morse signalling, and practical seamanship, and, as his training advances, does duty in tho local patrol boats. From Southampton officers are drafted to various small motor craft, employed in tho auxiliary patrol, and after two or three months' experience in these vessels, proceeds to Portsmouth for a further course of instruction. This course includes : the training period, and officers are then appointed to tho larger and faster armed motor boats, which are engaged in patrol and other duties around the British coasts, and in other parts of tho world. "" Under the Hoed. "Tho . men required for the engineroom duties need have hail no previous experience afloat, but must be mechanics by profession, with good experience in the running and repairing of internal combustion (engines, preferably of the. gasoline typo. Two grades aro required—chief motor-boat men, and motor-boat men 'E.' For the higher rating, ivhioh corresponds to the Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy, at .least five years' workshop experience is {needed. Two years in tho shot) will qualify a man for rating as "motorboat man 'E.' A man entered in the 1 lower rating cpn gain promotion to the" higher if he proves efficient. The men are given a course of training in H.M.S. Hormiono, whence they aro drafted, either direct or after a short period of service in the smaller motorboats, to the Engineering School at I'ortsmontli, where they undergo a course of instruction in tho running of tho high-powered engines in use on the large patrol boats.

_ Rates of Pay. "The rates of pay for officers and men are as follow:—Oflicors arc grained commissions as temporary sub-lieu-tonants, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and receive tlio ordinarv rate of pay of an officer of . that rank in tho Navy, viz., 7s. Gd. per day. In the motor-boat service they receive, in addition, £15 for uniform, and .certain allowances which vary according to the duty on which t-liey are employed. These allowances average about 3s. a day, when the officer victuals himself. Separation allowances arc not paid by tho British Admiralty to the wfves and dependants of commissioned officers. "Chief motor-boat men receivo ss. '■d. per day, allowances on a similar sealo as officers; £7 10 s . for uniform, and separation as for seamen of the Naval Deserve. Officers and men are entered for the period of hostilities, and are given free transport to England. and back to their homes, on re-' eeivnig their discharges." In the course of a letter from Commander II S. Lcckio, R.N.R,. caro of British 'Admiralty, tlio ago limit for service is stated at 35, years. Cap-' tarn _M Indoe, of the Merchant Servico_ Guild, states that lie, has had inquiries from men, but up till the present he has not been able to givo tFiem very definite information. He assumes that tlio conditions and pav offered to Canadian volunteers, would bo the same-here, but is not positive on tlio point. He considers that tho most serious bar to service in the Motor Patrol Division is the age limit. Master manners and yachtsmen are mentioned 'i tho letter received from Commander Leclue, but neither one nor the other !s mentioned.in tho Canadian circular, which only calls for candidates for commissioned officers, ajid men to run the engines. Tlio difrerenco is all-import-ant, and should be explained. Whilst fchero may bo a difficulty in getting a number of master mariners, under 35

years of age, to accept the service offered, there arc doubtless plenty of men experienced in the handling of motor craft, both as regards deck work and the engines. In the meantime, Captain Whitney's call is for master mariners To form a crew to take a vessel to South Africa. At present tho wiseacres of the waterfront cannot sea him getting them. "Full pay" was mentioned in Captain Whitney's telegram and letter (received yesterday), and Captain M'lmloc is unable to say whether ho means a coastal or deep-sea skipper's pay or the pay offered by the Admiralty for officers in the Motorboat Patrol Service. More light is needed.