THE NAVAL SQUADRON

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1924, Page 4

THE NAVAL SQUADRON

ARRIVAL AT WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, April ‘-T.. Tons of thousands of people in the city, and thousands of visitors ironi the country, were astir at an early hour on Thursday twiniing to 'll tell the lust glimpse of the great ships. Every coign of vantage upon the hills commanding a view of the entrance to the liarhour was crowded with people. The City Council ran special cars out to .Soatoun, and these were liberally patronised. Thousands ol enthuijiaslic citizens went out to the Heads, and every hilltop from Bronker Hay right in to the city was utilised as a standpoint from which to view the naval pageant. At 5.30 the warships were sighted from the .Signal Station, and half-an-hotir later they could he distinguished by the watchers on shore. They came with naval precision and certainty straight through the entrance, the flagship, JI.M.S. Hood, heading the stately procession, with If.M.S. Repulse following, and the trim little unit of the young Australian Navy, Adelaide, forming the rearguard. A BRILLIANT SPECTACLE. The liarhour was alive with small craft, gaily hellagged, which had turned out to do honour to the visitors. Tho Tutanekai, carrying the Government party, steamed out to the Heads and dipped her (lag to the squadron. Dense crowds eagerly awaited the arrival of the fleet in the city and along the waterfront. From Port .Tcrniiigham to the heights ol Kelhurn every vantage point was thronged with people. The city was gaily decorated in honour of the historic occasion. and an inspiring sigiit was presented. The roofs of every commanding building in ’-lie oily were crowded. On the roof of the Dominion Farmers’ Institute alone were upwards of CO:) people, including SO!) pupils from the Wellington dills’ College. ••HERE THEY COME.” ••Here they come” was the excited cry as the stem of the mighty Hood emerged from behind Point ilalsweil precisely at 10.10 o'clock, to ho followed at regular intervals by the Repulse and Adelaide. As if rejoicing over the auspicious event, without parallel in the history of the Dominion, the sun blazed forth at the very moment the warships entered the inner harbour, and the bright rays striking upon the barrels of the monster guns on the vessels made them shine like silver pencils. The squadron slowed down oil'Somes Island, where the pilots went aboard. The harbourmaster (Captain Dawson) took charge of the Hood, Captain Spence tool; over the Repulse, and Captain Petersen the Adelaide. Never has Wellington liarhour presented a fairer or more inspiring pageant. in the centre of the picture were the two huge warships, while dotted about the hay were ferry steamers, motor-boats, ami yachts, with the bright sunshine streaming down upon all. As the squadron came into full view a salute of fifteen guns was fired, by 11..M.5. Chatham. In honour of the Vice-Admiral. Sir Frederick L. Field, K.C.H., C..M.C. Luckily, thu Admiral, in returning the salute from his flagship did not employ his big guns, otherwise a good many windows would have been broken in the city. The pull's of smoke as the guns thundered forth the salute gave a touch of animation to the pageant.

A .MICIITY ENGINE OF WAR. With her decks fully manned and her band merrily playing. 11..M.5. Hood steamed slowly and majestically up tlio harbour to the accompaniment of thunderous cheering from the vaulting multitude on the shore. The welcome was enthusiastie and unmistakable. ll was not only an acknowledgment of tic- debt .Vov Zealand owes the British licet. There"as pride el race and kinship in the docp-tliroatcil cheers which rolled continuously along tho waterfront as the greatest lighting unit in the Royal Navy steamed along in full view. Wit It a length of close upon lltKI feel, tl-s 1 easel weighs about I-T.l»-';i l lolls, which is somewhere about thrice the weight of the largest mercantile -hip visiting these shores. Her propelling machinery has a horse-poivr of 1 j 7.fl'el, and she can steam 3f> land miles tin hour, which is equivalent In tie average rate of an express iraut. The eight 10-ineh guns, each weighing about K lf) tons, and with a long'll ol nearly ”11 yards, poked their noses out as if ready lor iinmediale action. The nroieeliles which these guns mo

hurl a distance of 20 miles weigh s, little mutter of 17 ewt. Each turret weighs dll') tons. The (tool’s .'rniour alone weighs lb,Ml!) ions. Tier side armour cnn.isls of 12-inch steel !,need by I 1-inch high-tensile steel. Tue turrets have 17-inch steel in front There are four propellers, each 17 feet (• inches in diameter. The m.iui slialts are 100 yards long Mid weigh 100 ion.- oneh. A- 'he screws were reversed onnnsiie ihe Queen’s wharf, mud was elmnc.l up. frdm the harbour ho! tom. Tin: wan'd because there is any dearth of water in Wellington Harbour. It only served to show the mighty swirl which is made when the Hood reverses her giant screws. With naval exactness. the Hood, punctual to the moment. II o’clock, glided slowly and niaje-iically to her berth at the new I’ipitea Wharf. ANOTHER FI It ST-0 LASS SHU’.

Ail eyes were then ui on the Jlej ulse. a- she steamed up towards Oriental Bay. to the accompaniment of enthusiastic cheering fiom the dense crouds who lined the waterfront. This battle-cruiser, which is a sister ship to the Renown, the vessel on which the Prince of Wales made his world tour, was, with the Renown, redesign, ed in conformity with lessons taught by the Falkland battle. The Repulse cost £2.027,101 to build and £800.031 was expended in refitting her. Travelling at lull speed she consumes about MOO tons of o i| fuel per day. Though spacious, she is lightly built, and it is said that her guns stake her up con-

siderably. She is a splendid example of what the modern capital ship is like. The big vessel presented a striking spectacle as she turned in Oriental Bay, and glided gracefully to her berth at I’ipitea wharf.

bertiixg the stiips. A SCENE OF ANIMATION. In the careful (-harp* of the Ha rliournifistor, tlio mightiest naval engine alloat was brought in slowly and skilfully to 'liar berth, slicing up alongside the concrete structure as though it were quite an everyday af. fair. Lines were passed ashore, where n unit of the Chatham’s men. were ready to secure them. Though she was now hidden from observers on the King’s Wharf hv the long shed, a shot could he heard fired from the forward deck of the Hood, and some wonder was expressed at the report. Later it was seen that each battleship has a miniature gun for firing the lines ashore, instead of throwing them by hand. All was soon made snug, and ovryone agreed that the berthing of the largest vessel that has ever entered this port could scarcely have 'been better managed. As the Vico.Admiral had -promised by wjre-

Jess, tho Hood was “all snug” by 11 n.tn.

Following tile Hood up the fairway came the Adelaide, which had to steam against the wind to her berth at the Clyde Quay Wharf. As the vessel drew up to her berth 011 v north side of the wharf, the Repulse canto into closer perspective. Site steamed up to a point olf the To Aro baths, giving the black line of people in Clyde Quay a splendid view of her impressive proportions; then veering round, slio came up to her berth at the Pipitoa Wharf at twice the sliced of the Hood in the same operation. Whether it was due to this extra speed or not. she did not’ make her berth with nearly the same exactitude as the larger ship. Boat-loads of blue jackets had landed from this ship in cutters before the Repulse eume up, and these had to do a good deal of warping work with the lines, whilst the propollors' lashed the waters of tho liarhour until they swirled and raced like a river in Hood, before tho vessel was brought up against the heavy timber fenders specially built to keep her some 5 foot G inches off tho wharf to allow for tho torpedo “blisters” below water. Whilst the berthing operations were in progress a small flotilla of yachts, launches and rowing boats manoeuvred round, at times much too near to the battleships. .Steam launches and cutters from the warships dashed about very busily, too, making the scene one of Jtlic greatest animation. Chief among the small fry was a smart-look-ing blue motor launch which Had been lowered Horn the Ilnod. and which showed a turn of speed that was sur-

prising. ' Among tho steamers which gave the warships a welcome 111 the liarhour were the Tutanekai (hearing the Ministerial party), the Duchess, Murtni. Collar. Tornwhiti. and Ivarnka. each of which had a. full complement of sight-seers. ’(no Tramways Band turned out on the Pipe tea Wharf to give the fleet- a musical welcome.

As the Hood came to rest alongside the wharf it was seen that she was drawing 31ft. amidships, and the Repulse’s draft scale showed 30ft. Gin.