NAVAL EXERCISES

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1927, Page 4

NAVAL EXERCISES

FASCINATING SPECTACIIE. (From J. M. N. Jeffries, on Lf.M.S. Renown, Atlantic Fleet.) LONDON. Oct, 4. Tiie first exercises of the Rattle Cruiser Squadron which were to have been carried out yesterday were postponed till to-day through stress of weather. So to-day with a smoother sea and not so strong a wind we are engaged in exercises which are characteristically described on hoard as “ Fishes in the morning and bricks in the ntternoon.’ That is torpedo practice followed by battle practice firing with our loin, guns.

Revenge, with four attendant light cruisers, came suddenly at us out of a smoke screen made by destroyers. In many ways the smoke-screen itself is an interesting part of it all. One moment destroyers were at rest, and then they became like four thick, black pencils upon the sea, and then they were transformed to smoking trains miraculously speeding along the water. By and by they throw out floats ol thick smoke and, drawn hither and thither in the wind and mounting upward, all the smokes—for there were white and black and brown smokes and all the shades of their mixtures —became like some conflagration. FANTASTIC SHARES.

All the cloud edges were tossed and fantastic, and when our temporary enemy did appear their shapes at first seemed only little dark gaps between the clouds. But the sailors’ practised eye soon picked them out. Hcvengo’s cruisers wore barely out before they had fired, ft takes some waiting to see what the result of an enemy’s torpedo will he when you are miles from her.

For the benefit of those who have never seen them at their 101 l work I may say that torpedoes, when you do descry them—though they remain below the surface, or should do so—they make horrible little neat garden paths along the sea, with sometimes just a rip of the water as if it were torn like tape. One of the garden paths lound its gate in us, striking below one ol our turrets. From others we swerved, as it seemed, rather easily away. Then wc discharged our own, with results as yet- unknown. AS IF IN ACTION.

In the early afternoon the battle cruisers Renown and Hood carried out concentrated fire upon a moving target with their loin, guns, they themselves steaming at a speed ,of about 17 knots at the time. This is really a great moment when the warship gathers all her force and is for a little space almost as if in action. Portholes and deadlights are screwed up so I hat the light, of day is excluded from the ship, cabin doors and glasses are taken from their places and laid flat upon the floor. Rallies go all over the ship securing loose gear, and when all is completed and withdrawn out of sight, to their stations, so that the whole ship seems to he a huge steel, monster, selfdirected and self-aggressive. Gazing through binoculars at Hood, at present the largest warship in commission, she showed without a sign of life save for signal flags and flashes. As I looked at her our own two forward turrets had trained over to starboard on the 10-miles distant target and with a sudden blaze and crash let fire. The crash and flame of the discharge are bewildering. It is as if a sunset circled with thick dun clouds has leapt from the side of the shin. Up in the lofty control or platform high upon the mast one was sent staggering at each shot, and the whole structure, as it were, chattered its teeth.

The shooting of Renown was up to the fine standard she has made for herself, and Hood's seemed no less creditable. We fired -eleven salvoes, the latter part of which were broadsides and straddled the target very