PRINCE OF WALES’ TOUR.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1920, Page 4

PRINCE OF WALES’ TOUR.

HIGH SPEED AGAINST HEAVY SEAS.

A FASCINATING SPECTACLE.

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, April 24

H.M.S. Ben own steamed out of Suva at 6 a.m. on Thursday, with the obligation to reach Auckland, 1150 miles away, in 53 hours. Instructions were posted to make all snug, as the ship would be steaming at high speed into heavy seas. So it proved. Commander J. D. Campbell called upon the engineroom for 204 revolutions per minute, producing a speed of 23*’knots.

The Renown rushed forward to meet the high sea, and the strong south-east trade wind. Her course was nearing due south, so that she met heavy weather on the port bow. This was the first time since leaving England that the opportunity occurred of seeing the Renown driven at high speed in heavy weather. A magnificent spectate was presented to the watcher on the flag deck, looking forward; as the engines, developing 120,000 h.p., drove the battle-cruiser into the head seas. Her immense length of 780 feet enabled the ship to ride half-a-dozen waves simultaneously, hut, nevertheless, with her low free-board, she thrust her nose regularly into the seas, causing them to hurst over the port how, sending huge cataracts of white water high in the air, to fall with a sound of thunder on the steel forecastle deck, passing off starboard.

The piunps were kept going constant, ly to clear the chain lockers of the inpouring water.

The battle-cruiser, in these conditions, conveyed a staggering impression of sheer power. The .muzzles of the big 15-inch guns, protected by brass caps, were constantly drenched by torrents of water. The little three-pound-ers on the flying deck were completely enveloped in water-proof coverings. The. batteries of four-inch guns—three on each side of the flying deck—wore waterproof coverings, like running drawers, giving a singular effect of athletes ready for a contest.

It was a fascinating spectacle to watch the ship, of 32,000 tons, springing forward against the high wind and heavy seas, at a speed of nearly 28 land miles per hour, hurling immense masses of foaming water as high as the navigator’s bridge, to sweep harmlessly over the starboard side of the forecastle deck. Yet. abaft of the foremast, nothing was visible to indicate tbe heavy weather. The decks were so steady that the Prince continued his favourite exercise of squash racquets. During the afternoon, Commander Campbell, the navigating officer, in an enclosed eyrie halfway up the foremast, pursued his calculations with ruler, pencil, and chart's, with entire disregard of the falling torrents on the deck. He remarked that most ships steaming at that speed in the teeth of such heavy weather would be swept by seas from end to end. He considered that the Renown, by reason of her great length, was an exceptionally dry ship. The commander mentioned that calculations had already been completed sufficiently far ahead to enable him to state the exact times at which the Renown would cute* - the different New Zealand and Australian ports on the dates already fixed. For instance, she is timed to enter Wellington at 10.30 a.m. The last stage of this wonderful voyage provided a fine test of the efficiency of the Renown’s engines and personnel.

The whole voyage from Portsmouth to Auckland, on the course travelled, is 14,056 miles, of which the last 1,150 were done at 231 knots.

During the voyage it has been necessary constantly to replace damaged firebricks in the furnaces with new bricks. This operation is difficult when high speed is maintained continuously. At present, 39 furnaces out of 42 are in use, and futrher repairs must be carried out at Auckland. On the Prince’s recent visit to the engine-room, he entered a furnace which had been allowed to cool lor the purpose of repairing the firebricks, and watched the men who were doing the work, in order to understand ail the duties of the engine-room ratings. The -supply of firebricks is almost as necessary as oil for oil-driven cruisers. The Renown brought 12,000 square bricks from England, of which 1000 have been used already.

The last night before reaching New Zealand there was a lot of fun on board. It- was St George’s Day, and Shakespeare’s birthday, and the anniversary of Zeebrugge, so there was a good excuse. Everyone, including the Prince was in the best of spirits. Lieutenant E. W. Billyard-Leake, D. 5.0., a native of Sydney, received a cablegram at Fiji inviting him to deliver lectures at Melbourne and Sydney on the Zeebrugge expedition, in which he played a prominent part as commander of the blocks!i ip Iphigenia, which was sunk in the harbour. Lieutenant Leake has accepted the invitation, and will lecture in aid of the Australian Naval Fund.

THE PRINCE AND THE TOT A LI SAT OR. TWO WINNERS AND SECOND. AUCKLAND April 26. “The jolliest experience of his visit to Auckland,” \s how a member of the Prince of Wat ’’s staff described the position before bis R-oyal Highness left the Royal Race Meeting at Ellorslio. The fact that Ids Royal Highness backed two winners and a second horse on the totalisator is a testimony to the whole-hearted manner in which lie pursued enjoyment. After inspecting tho interior of the totalisator the Prince stopped at a- window where two young ladies were handing tickets to importuning speculators. “How much do you bet here?” asked the Prince, dipping bis hand into bis right hand trousers pocket and producing a- roll of notes. Admiral Halsey, who was always at hand, informed him that pound bets were the order of the day. Theicupon the Prince stripped a note from the roll and handed it to the Admiral. “What horse?” ho was asked. “Oh, the English horse,” be replied. “Number one.” As tho Admiral turned to the attendants with the pound note, the Prince decided ho would punt a little heavier. “Only a sovereign,” he ro marked; “might n.S well haVe si no

more on it; we’ll make it five sovereigns.’’ Suiting tlie action to the words he handed the Admiral four more notes, and the £5 yielded as many ■tickets on Arrowsmith, which the Prince tucked into his pocket. In addition 'to backing the winner of the Cup, the Prince backed another winner and a second out of three bets. ROTORUA’S RECEPTION. ROTORUA, April 27. Heavy rain fell during the greater part of the morning, making the proceedings uncomfortable for everyone. At 9.30 the Prince started for Ohinemutu, hwere a large gathering of Arawas gave him a typical Maori welcome with poi war dances on the court yard in front of the meeting house. The scene was one of curious contrast. Maori girls in red skirts, white blouses and blue sashes, with flax mats thrown over their skirts, did a poi dance and sang their voices blending wonderfully and the effect was heightened, when the men’s voices joined in the refrain. The steam rising from the ground was mingling with the rain that fell through out. The Prince find party were on raised scats in front of the meeting house and a background of trees through which glimpses of the lake were obtainable with the old English church on the point and welcoming Maoris gathered on the courtyard in the foreground made up a. spectacle that should live in the memories of ilia beholders. An aged Maori chief then delivered an oration of welcome to the grandson of Victoria, from the Arawa tribes to which the Prince replied “I know the Arawa tribe has always been loyal. 1 thank yon sincerely for your kind welcome.” He was then presented with gifts of Maori mats which lie donned, to the delight of the natives and Huia feathers which he placed in his cap. Then, carry ing a.Taiaka or native spear, he made a round of the lines of the Pah girls, one or two of whom became envious of their sisters, when in the eestacy of the moment they bent and kissed the Prince’s hand. The warriors in the rear were also inspected and then the Prince walked to the statue of Queen Victoria and stood for a few moments contemplating it, the assemblage maintaining a reverent silence

The visit to King George Hospital for wounded solders on the hill abive Oliinemutu followed, boys in blue giving the Prince a right hearty reception. Whakawarewa Pah was the next place visited, and here more dancing and singing and the presentation oi an address from the assembled tribes was followed by a stroll among the thermal wonders of the spot. By this time rain had set into a heavy downpour, but it did not binder the people from turning out. The Maoris were greatly excited and could not restrain their entnusiasm at having among them one in whom they had a visible reminder of the great King, for whom so many of then; sons and brothers had gone to the war and so many rested now in foreign lands. All tliis sentiment poured out in beautiful poetic oratory and was mipressive in the extreme. Owing to the continued downpour, oi rain the afternoon programme of entertainment was abandoned.

THE PRINCE’S STAFF. The staff of the Prince of Wales during his tour consists of:— Chief of Staff: Hear-Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey. Secretary: Lieut-Colonel E. W. M. Grigg, C.M.G., C. '• .0., D. 5.0., M.C. Personal Secretary: Sir Godfrey V. Thomas, Bart., M.V.O. Extra Equerry: Captain Dudley B. N. North, C.M.G., M.V.0., R.N. Equerries: Captain Lori CJaud Nigel Hamilton, D. 5.0., M.V.0., and Captain the Hon Piers Legh, 0.8. E.. M.V.O. Staff of Rear-Admiral Sir L. Halsey: Secretary, Paymaster-Lieutenant-Com-niniuler A. C. A. Janion, 0.8. E., R.N. Flag Lieutenant: Sub-Lieutenant the Lord Louis Mountbatten, R.N. Some of these will, of course, not be strangers in the Dominion. Lieut-Col-onel E. W. M. Grigg has been out here before, and so have Dudley B. N. North and Paymaster-Lieut-Commander A. C. A. Janion, who were in H.M.S. New Zealand on her ffrst world-tour. Remote perhaps, but none the less of particular interest, is. the connexion with New Zealand of Sir Godfrey V ignoles Thomas, Bart. To lollow it out concisely and briefly one must revert for a moment to the year 1812—-the date ol tiic birth of Sir George Grey. As everyv one in the Dominion knows, this G.O.M. of New Zealand was born at Lisbon shortly after his father, Lieut-Colonel Grey, had been killed at Badajoz when leading a storming party to the walls of the town. Lieut-Colonel Grey’s wife was the oldest daughter of the Rev' John Vignolos, of Coruaher. near Tyrrell’s Pass. Co. Westmeath, and she had gone to Lisbon to be near her husband. The news of the latter’s death was shouted from the street below while Mrs Grey was chatting with some officers of tile Duke of Wellington, and very shortly afterward her son—Sir George Grey—was horn. Five years after the death of Lieut-Colonel Grey, his widow married Sir John Thomas, and Sir Godfrey Vignolos Thomas, 9th Bart., of Coruaher, was her grandson. The Prince of 'Wales’s secretary is the tenth baronet, and is looking forward with the greatest interest to seeing in New Zealand all the interesting associations of his kinsman. Sir Godfrey, who was born in 1889, lias always been in the Diplomatic Service, and lie was in Berlin until just before the declaration of war. During the war he held special appointments under the Foreign Office, and he became private secretary to the Prince of Wales last May. He made the trip to Canada and the United States in the Renown, and at the conclusion of the voyage he received the M.V.O. Lord Claud N. Hamilton, D. 5.0., Grenadier Guards, is one of the sons of the 2nd Duke of Abcreorn, and lie is always known as Lord Claud Nigel Hamilton to distinguish him from his kinsman, the Right Hon Lord Claud Hamilton (chairman of the Great Eastern Railway). The only son of the latter —Major Gilbert C. Hamilton, Grenadier Guards—is the son-in-law of Mr and j Mrs Charles Elgar, of the Wairarapa, so that Lord Claud Nigel Hamilton may claim that he has New Zealand connexion. Ho served throughout the war, I was tflvfce mentioned in despatches, and was appointed Equerry to the Prince of j Wales lriat. year. I;

Captain Dudley B. N. North has many friends already in New Zealand, and he is, of course, the son-in-law of the Hon. W. 11. Campbell, of Sydney. At the time of the iirst worldcruise of H.M.S. New Zealand, he was Lieut.-Commander of the ship and First Lieutenant in her during the action in ■ Heligoland Bight on August 24th. 1914. I At the end of that year he received ' promotion to Commander. Believing Captain H. E. Grace as Commander of the New Zealand, he was present in that capacity at the Dogger Bank action on January 24tfi. 1915, when the Blucher was sunk, and at Jutland. For the latter action he was commended in despatches and received the Russian Order of St. Stanislas, while in recognition of* all three engagements he received the French Croix de Guerre with Palmes. From January, 1917, lo July ,1918, Commander North was at the Admiralty as Naval Assistant to the 3rd and 4tli Sea Lords and from July, 1918, to March 1919, he was Commander* of H.M.S. Australia. Prior to appoinmtent as Naval A.D.C. to the Prince of Wales, he was for a while again at the Admiralty. The C.M.G. was bestowed upon him for “valuable services ashore and afloat” and the M.V.O. followed the Canadian tour. As an interpreter in German Captain North lias done useful work. Mrs North, win' had many friends in New Zealand, where on several occasions she acted as hostess during the visit of H.M.S. New Zealand, died in 1917. ! Paymaster-Lieut.-Commander A. C. A. Janion has been closely associated with Admiral Sir iL. Halsey, ever since H.M.S. New Zealand first went out to the Dominion. He was private secretary early in the war, and was given the Croix de Guerre in 1917. In March, 1919, he was with Sir L. Halsey (Officers’ Pay Committee) as Paymaster-Lieut.-Commander. i Sub-Lieut, the Lord Louis Mountbntten, R.N., is a brother of the Earl of Medina, who as Prince George of Battenburg, was out in New Zealand, and who was serving in H.M.S. New Zealand during the first half of the war. Lord Louis was born in 1900, ind *s said to be a great friend, of the Prince of Wales