EMPIRE CRUISE.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1923, Page 4

EMPIRE CRUISE.

SEVEN WARSHIPS TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND. LONDON, October 19. Mr jj. S. Ame'y (First Lord of the Admiralty) Ins given some details at the Imperial Conference of the Empire eriii.se of British warships which is shortly to be made. The Hood, and the Repulse, with a light-cruiser squaiiroti, are to set forth next month on a date not yet disclosed. The warships \« i1 1 leave L’oiTsniouth or Plymouth lor South Africa. They will travel down tla. West Coast of Africa, make a stay at Cape Town, and afterwards call at j orts on the East Coast. On leaving the Airman mast, the ships will steam across the Indian Ocean to Singapore, the site of the new British naval base, which .is to ho constructed in the course of tile next ten years, 'i hence the voyage wilt he continued to Australia and New Zealand, with a stay in Australian waters oi some weeks. Fl.lf TO P,E VISITED.

Turning homewards from New Zealand. the objective "ill be Canada, and there will be an opportunity on route of touching at the Fiji Islands. Jt. i s probable that the next call will be at Vancouver, the chief port ot British Columbia, and thereafter the ships will come down tin' West Coast of the United States. The heavy ships ate to make use of the Panama dumb am! it is proposed that the light ships should go round by Cape Horn. A visit will mi doubt be made to the Vest Indian Islands, and afterwards the voyage "ill he continued up the east coast of Canada, with the object of visiting llu |>o; is on that side ot the Dominion. When the Canadian part of the programme is euinjleted the ships will steer for borne, and on reaching. England. after what will he, in fact, a world tour of the most interesting character, they will hive covered at least I’O,OHO miles. This will he the swiftest naval force which has ever gone forth from this or any other country. The Repulse and Hood, mounting lb-inch guns, can work up to ,‘i’J knots. Tile laiter ship, in particular, is a wonderful triumph of constructional and engineering ingoiinit.\, for she combines in one hull the qualities of a battleship and a battlecruiser—offensive and defensive power in combination with the highest speed that has been obtained by a vessel of such great size -41 .‘2OO tons. Site is. indeed, at present our one capital ship embodying in every degree the lesson of the Battle of .lnlland. FIVE ETCITT CRUISERS.

The live light cruisers of flic “I)‘ ! type which are to accompany the two battle cruisers are the last words in design off their class. They were launched, like the Hood, in, the las' year of the Great War. and have a displacement of IGbO tons, developing power for 99 knots. They mount fiin guns each. They are small, of course, as the Washington Treaty permits cruisers of 10,009 tons to be built, and they are lightly armed, but they will "oitliilv represent the light forces which are associated with the Atlantic Fleet. Three of the light eimiseis—Dana, Dragon, and Dunedin have arrived at Chatham Dockyard to make ready. Dragon ami DuiUo will be refitted, and tiic work on the Dunedin i> yet to be d> oil ted. Tim Dunedin, of course, is to remain in tlie Dominion to take ilie place of rile t.'liatham. There "ill he a good deal moj.. io do on her than on the ei her cruisers, and ii. is possible that An vi if! remain at Chatham alter the Olliers have left, and pick them up at xonn point along the route from .South A I lira u. Singapore am! Australia. As the Dunedin burn-- oil fuel the number of .-ackers required for her will not lie as many as those on the Chatham, so that it is probably that a iiniubor of stokers no" sen ing in N- w Zealand with the Chatham will have to return to England with her. On the other hand, tiie I'ure.dm ill probably lived a greati a i.umber of (Hirers and men m other departments so there is likely to lie a general reshuffling. The intention, however. i~ as far as possible to trail—-[in-c flic two crew-, and thus the crow which takes out the Dunedin nil! firing buck the Chatham. Tic.' 1 luin-diii. already annoniicet!, r ill take on a new name and be known as if.M S. New Zealand.