THE PRINCE’S TOUR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2118, 22 April 1920, Page 2

THE PRINCE’S TOUR.

NEPTUNE'S COURT CEREMONIES. Suva, April 20. The Renown .arrived this after- . noon, and sails for Auckland on I Thursday. Showery weather interfered with the spectacular side of the arrival, hut a Hot ilia of native canoes escorted the Renown up the harbour.. The Governor, Sir Cecil Bowdell, visited the Prince immediately.

“Crossing the Jane’’ ceremonies on the Kith and 17th took the form of a great sea pageant, produced on a scaie'of magnificence never before attempted with the navy, the Prince, "Admiral Halsey, Captain Dudley North, Captain Taylor, and others taking part in a well-organised scenic display and reciting the speeches welcoming Neptune and his attend-' ant court of supernumeraries, reinforced by the ship's hand. All were dressed in pnaml and original costumes. The fact that the Prince, with tile whole staff, decided to nn-

uergo the ceremonies of initiation, lent unprecedented interest to lire occasion. The proceedings began on the night of the Ithh, just before the ship actually crossed the Erpmlor. when Neptune from the sea hailed Captain Taylor on the bridge, who stopped the ship and invited Neptune on hom'd. Rockets sent up from the forecastle disclosed Neptune with a few attendants as hoars emerging from the hawsepipe. Tire captain megaphoned him lo come on the (lag dock, where Neptune was received in formal state by the Prince, the Admiral, Captain and ship’s officers, the speeches being made in blank verse.

Arrangements were made for receiving Neptune next morning, when the procession of (lie Sea King, his goddess Amphitrite, and a retinue of oyer 70 performers, with the band, marched to the i|narter deck, where they were received by the Prince and ship's officers. Neptune announced that he was honoured by the desire of his Royal Highness to be initiated. '

The ceremony of investiture then commenced. Neptune invested (ho Prince with the order of the Royal Equatorial Bath, placing the order mi his coal. The, Prince replied, in verse, thanking Neptune for his handsome collar, adding significantly, ‘ - .I am well aware there is more lo follow.” Admiral Halsey, Captain North, and others . wore invested with various orders, Admiral Halsey making a long reply in blank verse, fail of topical personal allusions, evoking roars of laughter. ’Tito procession (hen marched to the forecastle dock, where a platform had been erected, and a large tank tall of water prepared. Trick barber's chairs had been placed on the platform at (he edge of the tank for the novices. The bears, chosen' from /lu? officers, wailed in the bath to duck the novices. After further dramatic speeches, the Prince appeared ou the platform in a bathing suit, seated himself on the chair, and submitted himself to the attentions of Neptune's officials. The Prince was lathered freely in many coloured substances from buckets,

shaved by Neptune’s barber, and I hen tipped over backwards into the (sink, whore (ho hoars, Imully growling, (lucked him three times. Similar experiences befell other officers and novices. Afterwards the officers’ hears having withdrawn, the men’s bears went into the tunic, when all the novices in the ship’s company nndenvenl the immersion ceremonies. '< The part of Neptune was performed by Chief-Gunner Enright, who displayed a line voice and much elocutionary skill,'reciting the long part in blank- verse. The entire pageant was produced under the direction of; Commander lingers.