FRENCH NAVAL FEAT

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1927, Page 4

FRENCH NAVAL FEAT

j ARRIVAL TO THE SECOND. PORTSMOUTH, May 31. The arrival of the Front h naval st|tint!ron and Rear-Admiral Prot today at. Spithead on a. visit to this country was something more than a mere arrival—the beginning of a round of festivities. It was in itself one of those naval achievements which, bewilder the layman. Those of us who had gone out in a tug to see the French ships arrive about half-past 11. and I suppose about four miles from Portsmouth, caught sight of them coming up in impeccijdc formation, one of the fastest, if not the fastest, group of new worships in the world to-day. for they average about 33 knots. Twenty minutes later on the ab--1 solute stroke of 10 minutes to 12— British naval officers beside me checked it- on an act urate watch ■--the guns of the LaniciUe-Picriuct, the French flagship, saluted flic British flag. This was the time fixed in principle for the arrival, but the navigating; officers of the squadron steered their vessels with such accuracy from Brest that they reached the spot for -anchoring. where the first salute was to he fired at the very moment itself. The amount of painstaking work this entailed must have been considerable, but it was worth it to cross the sea to seconds. NEW GREY PAT NT. Everyone was taken by the appearance of the eight French vessels as they came in. In now coats of grigpaint they carried thcm-clves villi that possession of the waters which marks the perfectly manned and equipped ship. The I.nmotte-Picquci ami the Dugnay-Trouin, the two 8000 ten cruisers, are extremely cleanly b-'ilt. There is a great similarity ol hull between them and the flotilln leaders, or larger destroyers, of which there are three—Jaguar. Tigre, and ('lineal. To the untrained eye .it least de- : strovers and cruisers seemed to merge into each other, but when later in tinday the Lamo-tte-L’icquct and the lingua v-Tron in steamed to their mooing places alongside the railway jetty in Portsmouth Harbour, the superior size of those fine vessels became more apj parent. There was a. large gathering of dock- : yard workers and others looking and . as the French flagship, her band play- ' ing the. stirring “Sambre cl .Arouse ! march, her men at attention upon her i decks, the sun shining on her hundred ' portholes, (ante to her berth. In t;he course of the afternoon Admiral Pirot landed and exchanged visits with Admiral Sir Osmond Brock, Commander-in-Chicf, Portsmouth. A naval guard of honour was posted before Admiralty House for the occasion. ADMIRAL PTROT. Afterwards Admiral Pirot drove to the Guildhall and called on the Mayor of Portsmouth. Here lie and bis officers Iliad their first contact with the public. A loud hand-clapping from many spectators welcomed the visitors, which was intensified as Admiral Pirot, a very dapper, neatly bearded figure, with the handsome sash of the I rencli full naval uniform around bis waist, mounted the steps. He stayed a considerable time in the Guildhall, and thanked the mayor for the splendid decorations lie and bis officers bad seen, and for the kind welcome of the city, which he had last visited as a midshipman in 1889. To-night Sir Osmond Brock entertained the French admiral and a number of his officers to dinner and a dace at Admiralty House. The streets of Portsmouth this evening are filled with happy crowds of French sailors and petty officers, who are everywhere admiring the display of bunting on private bouses and public buildings alike. T have seen flags and even inscriptons in small lustreets where there would seem to be j no chance of any Frenchmen passing, this city certainly knows how to " elcome tiie nation’s guests. | The supper given hv sailors and marines at the Royal Naval Barracks to 400 French petty officers and men has been a great success. Perhaps communication has been a little difficult owing to the language trouble, but there Ims been much clinking of glasses and a. lot of friendly gesture. The French sailors enormously appreciate the British fare.