THE FLYING SQUADRON.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 749, 3 January 1870, Page 3

THE FLYING SQUADRON.

NAVAL REVIEW at MELBOURNE. [From the Age, 6th December.! Heb Majesty's steam frigate Liverpool, hoisting the flag of Rear-Admiral Hornby, was the centre-point of interest during the review, as upon .her manoeuvres and signals the whole affair depended, no one except the Admiral having the faintest idea what would be attempted till they saw the numbers run up and the signal made. At daybreak all was bustle on board, the signal having been hoisted to get the vessels ready for sea immediately. The squadron having been moored with double anchors, the larboard were taken up so as to ride at single mooring till the order was given to get under weigh. Decks were holy-stoned, guns cleaned, ropes coiled up neatly, and everything put in perfect o*der, while preparations were made for the comfort of the ex pected guests. Amidships a large platform was erected and covered over with a sail, and finally decorated in a tasteful style with bunting. The poop, too, was dressed with flags, and seat 3 were arranged so as to accommodate his Excellency the Grovernor and the vice-regal party, and finishing touches were given to everything to make them ship-shape and in order. In the meantime, the top-gallant and royal yards had been sent aloft, the spars braced square and trim, and the life lines fastened above the yards preparatory to their being manned While this was going on the gunners had been busy on the main deck ; the guns had been run in and loaded, and everything got ready for firing the Boyal salute. These preparations finished, the boats were got out, orders given, and the men dismissed to their breakfast.

From that time till nearly ten o'cock there was scarcely a sign of life about the ship, with the exception of the boats being despatched to shore, but shortly afterwards, as the guests began to arrive, all was activity and animation ; officers handing their lady friends up the sides, or passing orders to the boats ; Admiral Hornby, Captain Hopkins, and the navigating officers on the bridge anxiously scanning the unpromising weather, and discussing the prospects of the day; while forward the men were mating preparations for receiving; the Governor. Through the morning, boat, launch, and gig continued to arrive with their fashionable freights, and soon the decks presented a brilliant sight,—the pretty summer toil.-ta of the ladies, the light ao parrel oi the gentlemen, interspersed with the blue and gold of the officers' dress, and the uniforms of the blue jackets and marines formed a picturesque and uncommon scene. Shortly after eleven Major-General Sir Trevor Chute, Colonel Anderson, Captain Stubbs and his stall' arrived from the Williamatown pier, and the Admiral's barge was despatched ashore to meet his Excellency, who was expected to arrive at Williams!own about 11 o'clock. Orders were passed for all hands on deck for manning the yards, the signal being made to the other vessels to hold themselves in readiness to do so at the same time. As the splendid twelve-oared barge was seen sweeping gracefully towards the ship bearing the vice-regal party, the order was given to s-md the men aloft, and in an instant the rigging was alive with blue jackets nimbly springing up to the yards The order being given to " lie in," they grouped themselves round the masts on the tops, waiting for further orders, while the Royal Marines, under Capfc. T. LI. Kuel, were drawn up in double line along the starboard side of the vessel, with the band stationed on the rear of their left flank. In a few minutes the boatswain "piped the side," and the order was given to the men aloft to " lie out," and in an instant the yards of the whole squadron were manned in an effective manner, never equalled in these waters. Ths> word was passed that the Governor was alongside, and Admiral Hornby advanced to the side to receive his guest. Immediately his Excellency set his foot on deck, the marines presented arms, and the band struck up the National Anthem, while a salute of 17 guns fired in quick time, with great precision, thundered forth the welcome of the fleet. The official ceremony over, and the friendly complimentary congratulatious exchanged, the vice-regal party were conducted to the poop, the signal made to prepare to unmoor, and the Governor's flag (as Admiral, by virtue of his official position) was run up at the main The boatswain's whistle was heard, and quickly in came the life lines, and the order, " All hands on deck," was smartly responded to. " Side hands " were ordered aft, and presently the crew were seen walking away forward to the music of the baud, hoisting the ship's cutters and barges which were run up to their davits, and were snugly swung, while the steam barge of the Liffey towed away the launches to their moorings, there to await the return of the squadrou. All eyes were now turned to the Eiag Lieutenant as he ordered the next signal to be run up, and as the small rolls of bunting were shaken out, the order was read to " make sail and get under weigh in succession." The Scylla, one of the port division, was the first to shake out her canvas in obedience to the order, the Phceae andJßarrosa quickly following her example. While this was going on an opportunity was afforded of noticing the number of guests on board, which must have been about two hundred, among whom were to be observed, in addition to those already mentioned, Lady and Mabel Manners Sutton, Mr Manners Sutton (his Excellency's private secretary), and the other members of the Governor's family ; Mr and Mrs Charles Bright, hon. J. Macpherson, hon. J. MDonnell, hon. J. jM'Kean, hon. J. T. Smith, hon. F. Long. 'more, hon, J, jßeeves, M.L.A.'s j their

Honors Judge Barry, Judge Williams, and Judge Molesworth; hon. W. Highett, M.L.0.; Mr Francis Murphy, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly ; his Worship the Mayor of Melbourne (Councillor Ainess) and lady; Councillor Herbert J. Henty, Capt. Fullarton, Professor Wilson, and Dr. Wilkie. In a few minutes a pennant on the Scjlla announced that she was Cinder weigh, and on receiving her signal to go, she ran up her jibs and payed away handsomely off the wind. Down the Bay Bhe started under all plain sail, and on passing the light ship she shaped her course for the South Channel, running dead before a light north-west breeze. The next vessel signalled was the Phceb'e, but she refused to pay off to the wind, making a stern board, and drifted in such close proximity to the Barrosa, anchored to leeward of her, that, to a landsmen's eye, a collision seemed imminent. This, however, was avoided by the splendid seamansh,p of Captain Bytheseay. As soon as she was clear, the Barrosa tripped her anchor, and theEndyxuion quickly followed, both vessels going under topsails and topgallant sails. By this time it was half past 12 o'clock, the Scylla lying about three miles down the Bay, with her main yards braced aback, the flag ship and the Liflvy being the only ones which had not weighed anchor. Signal was made to the four ships in advance to make easy sail, and to the Liffoy to get under canvas. Speedily the Liverpool's capstan was manned by over 200 hands, and the cable came in to the merry strains of the band, and in less than five minutes the anchor was up. All plain sail was speedily set, and the ship was soon plough ing her way down the Bay after the Scylla, —the Liffey, which was unable to.set her canvas till she had sea room, being ordered to follow her with all despatch. The breeze freshened a little, and a drizzling ram set in a few minutes after the Liverpool got under saii, which had the effect of driving most of the visitors down to the main deck The course was continued down the Bay till the Scylla was passed, about 10 minutes to 1 o'clock, and the vessels were ordered to lay-to to wait for the Liffey and Phoebe. As the rain was falling sharply, the nettings were covered in, everything made tight, and the men piped down to dinner. While Jack was regaling himself on vegetable soup and boiled mutton in the fore part of the ship, the vice regal party and a few of the visitors were entertained by the Admiral in the state cabin, while the' remainder partook of the officer's hospitality in the ward-room, and a very agreeable half-hour was passed. During lunch the band played on the main deck a selection of music. About half-past 2 o'clock, as soon as lunch was disposed of, the ship;: were ordered to form double column abreast of Point Cooke, an oiling of fifteen miles having been obtained. The manceu vre was splendidly managed, the ve-sel; dropping into their places beautifully, the handling and sailing of the Scylla being the theme of general admiration. The columns were formed at about three cables' distance, the order being :

THE WKATHEft COLUMN THE LEE COLUMN The Liverpool The Phoebe The fck'.ylla The JB;irrosa The Endyraion The Liii'ey TII3 relative positions of the vessels were fairly kept, but through the Scyiia ana Barrosa being particularly rapid sailors, though they were going the greater part oi' the time withtheir square sails shivering, they could hardly moderate their speed sufficiently to keep back in their places. After sailing some distance in this order, and trying the squadron on thevarious tack?, the order was given to form column of subdivi sion,*and immediately afterwards the signal was given to form line of battle, whereupon the squadron dropped into single line in splendid order, one vessel gliding in the wake of the other in majestic style. The next manoeuvre was forming single Hue abreast, which was followed by the order to drop into double line abreast, and this was succeeded by the Endymion and Liffey breaking the line in splendid style, sailing across the sterns of the other vessels as would be done in action to rake their decks. The effectiveness of the display was however spoiled by a thick misty rain which was failing, and the manoeuvre was not witnessed by one half of the visitors on board, moat of whom were on the deck dancing to the strains of the band, or reclining on gun carriages chatting. As there was no sign of the weather clearing at 3 o'clock, but as, on the contrary, a strong breeze had sprung up from the north-west, the signal was niaie to form line of battle again, and the course was ohaped back to Williauistown. The run up was made at the rate of 6 or 7 knots an hour, and the vessels dropped anchor at about a quarter to live o'clock, off the VVilliamstown pier, about a quarter ol a mile closer in than before. After every thing had been made snug the launches were got out to convey the guests ashore, the U-overnor and suite leaving shortly after 6 o'clock. One arrangement on board the ship which must not be passed over without recognition, was that Captain Hopkins kindly placed the coxwaiu oi his ooat at the disposal of the gentlemen o. the Press, to affijrd them any technical information they might require. A better man could hardly ha\e been selected than ibis same Joseph Jones, and all strangers who uiay desire nautical information on board the Liverpool canuot do better than to inquire for the gallant coxswain, when they will not only iiud an intelligent man ,uut a line specimen of a real British tar.

The Melbourne Leader thus explains the mission of die Filing Squadron :—lt wilt do all the work that appertained to ships on tho' several naval stations, and will do it better. The stations will be abandoned, and the Flying Squadron will

sto the rounds, and become the police of the high ecas, at the same time that it will supply the best of training to officers and men, who might otherwise be vegetating in docks, harbors, and narrow seas. The Colonies are favored with two proofs of the regard of England for, her colonies. These are Earl Granville's despatches, and the Flying Squadron. Of the two the latter is the most welcome, and, as they are not exactiy compatible, we may be permitted to indulge the hope''that we shall not have quite so much of the former as has fallen to the lot of New Zealand. On the subject of the Flying Squadron, then in Hobson's Bay, the writer of the "Peerybingle Papers" in the Melbourne Daily Telegraph makes the following facetious remarks : —Britannia, the Pride of the Ocean, is wearing out her old clothes. That's the meaning of the Flying;Squadron. Now-a-days there's no more cutlass and boarding pike business to be done. Our fighting sea-dog hides behind several feet of iron, and blazes away at another seadog hiddeu behind several more feet cf iron a mile away. The dodge is to keep away as far as possible, and to let fly when you get a slant. Its like going to sea in a floating water-tank, and making war through the bung-hole. You don't tackle your enemy aboveboard. In fact, you couldn't see the white of his eye with a telescope. What you do is to try and bulge his water-tank and he fries yours, without hurting anybody more than he can help. When you've bulged one another enough you leave off, and have refreshments, or gloriously sink to the bottom and get drowned, as a litter of blind puppies might do if you started 'em on a voyage down the river in a kerosine tin. Now these Flying Squadron ships are ships. A blood-thirsty chap might stand a chance of seeing a good deal of old fashioned gore, and raw flesh, and battered heads, and remains knocking about if he went into action in one of 'em ; but then he wouldn't be fighting according to the late principles ; and if j, ou don't fight on principles you'd better go home, and turn the mangle. They're behind the times, and Britannia wants to wear 'em out, so sh'J sends 'em to Australia. Presently they'll go down to New Zealand, in time probably to hear of a few more massacres of colonists j but not to avenge 'em. Not a bit of it. They keep their powde? dry, according to orders, and fire salutes with it, and make fireworks. If they wasted it on rebels they wouldn't hava any left to make a nuisa with, when governors and other people with cocked hats come round at prog time; and that would be a pity. It's just as well to remember that if this was war time the Flying Squadron wouldn't care about sailing the seas. Don't make any mistakes, the Squadron is not a lighting Squadron, because it can't fight on modern princ.ples.