RICE-FAMOUS FLATS ON LAND AND SEA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 16, 26 February 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

RICE-FAMOUS FLATS ON LAND AND SEA.

THE " GALLANT ARETHUSA." For a oentury and a half our Navy has never long been without an Arethusa to show the world how British sailors can fight; and that the tradition is well maintained was proved recently when the fifth warship of the name 'so gallantly engaged two German cruisers, more powerful than herself. and after a tierce struggle of 'thirty-fiTO minutes put them to ignominious flight. Although sorely battered she was still so full of fight that she tackled two more cruisers, and crowned her day of glory by contributing to the sinking of the Mainz. In such noble fashion did the Arethusa of our day prove her title to the name with which the world first rang when the third of our Georges was King—a name which will always set the pulses of Britain beating faster as long as she has a ship to fly her flag. The first Arethusia was not fashioned, like her sisters, of good British oak. She had done doughty deeds for France, before she was made to change her flag and allegiance in that " wonderful year," 17o9—the year of Minden, of Quiberon and Wolfe's great triumph at Quebec. Seen off the French coast by a British frigate squadron under Commodore John Lockhart, a famous eea-dog of his day, the Arethus© (as she was then called) was hotly chased for four hours; and, after a gallant fight with the Thames, only lowered her colours when a second opponent, tho Yenus, loosed her broadsides on heir. For nearly a score of years the captured Arethusa, though in spite of her smallness she was one of the smartest ships in our fleet, had small opportunity of winning lam-els; and her opportunity only came when slie was already a veteran. In the month of June. 1778, France and England were trembling on the verge of war. Although n<> gun had been fired and no hostilities declared, the Brest roads were a menacing forest of masts and rigging—no fewer than thirty-two sail of the line were gathered there, ready at any moment to pounce on our shores. Toulon Harbour was crowded with a floet equally strong; and a third fleet from Spain :ras awaiting the signal to join the French allies. It was a perilous moment for England, which was so ill-prepared for war that Admiral Keppel was unable to find sufficient men for many of his best ships, and was obliged to leave part of his fleet behind when at last he ventured out to sea. with instructions to "do what he oould," and at least toprevent the enemy from exploring our coasts and discovering our unprepairedness.

Early on the morning of the 17th of June, while Keppel's fleet was cruising off the Lizard, two French frigates and a cutter hove suddenly into view; the signal, "Chase strangera in sight" went up on the British flagship, the \ictory; and at once the Arethusa, with some of the swiftest of our ships, headed for the enemy, with the orders to request the French captains to come on board tlie Victory and explain to the Admiral what they were doing in British waters. One of the French frigates was quickly overhauled, and with some rough sailory persuasion and a threat of broadsides, her head was turned towards tho British fleet. Her companion, however, La Belle Poule, was in no mood to obey the summons, and with every inch of canvas stretched, showed a swift " pak of heels" to the Englishmen. One by one her pursuers were quickly left behind —all save the gallant Arethusa, who stuck to her with grim tenacity —" a fox terrier chasing a mastiff," for La Belie Poule was one of the finest ships in the French navy, mounting many more and heavier guns and writh a crew more than twice that of the tiny Arethusa.

But the Arethusa's captain, Samuel Marshall, was a sailor of the true bulldog breed, a man tvho scoffed at danger and revelled in fighting against big odds. As for his ship in the words of the song which all England was sinking a few weeks later, She is a frigate tight and brave As ever stemmed tho dashing wave ; Her men are staunch To their favourite launch.

And when the foe shall meet our fire, Sooner than strike we'll all expire.

Ou board of the Arethusa

For two hour s Ma'rsball hung doggedly on the luels of the French frigate before at last he was able to range alongside and hail her. "What ship is that?" he shouted, "and where from?" In response the frigate's captain, resplendent in bhie coat, scarlet waistcoat, knee-breechos and stockings, presented himself at the bulwarks and shouted back in a sneering tioici'V "Speak French. 1f you please; u> (Jo not answer questions in any other language." When the question was repeated in French, the defiant answer came, "This i s the King of France's frigate, La Belle Poule. We are come from the rea. and we go to the sea ; and that is all I have to say. And when Captain Marshall made the formal request that the captain of La Belle Poule should nut about and accompany him to tho British fliet, his demand was met by an insolent refusal —"I can receive no suc-h message, sir! I take my orders only from mv own Admiral."

In the licensed words of the rang:— On deck five hundred men did danco, The stoutest they could find in. France; We with two hundred d'd advance On board the A'i'ethusa. Our captain hailed the Frenchman, "Ho!" The Frenchman then cried 'out, " Hallo!"

'Boar down, d'ye wo. To our Admiral's lee." "Xo. no," says the Frenchman, "that can't 1)?." ''Then I must lug you along with mo,'' •Says the saucy Arethusa.

Almost before the last word was sjKiken. the French frigate's side burst into flame, and a crashing broadside smote the Arethusa, sweeping her decks with destruction and shattering h(Jr bulwarks to splinters. The next moment the starboard guns of the Aro■thiisa broke into rsponsive thunder and strewed tho enemy's decks with dead.

Fast as the guns could lie loaded and run out. broadside answer-ed broadside, at mi <diort a range that a biscuit could have U'en tossrd from one deck to the other—now riddling the hulls; now, as the vessel r<;;-,o on the i'l'est of a wave, shattering masts and rigging; now scourging the deck s with Masts of dei't ruction. "Minute after minute, hour a ft: r hour, for four long hours, the deadly duel was fought with increasing fury. French and English alike resolute to fight so long as the last man had a deck under his feet or a gun to fire. On the Arethusa the decks strewn with dead, and ml and slippery with blood. Her masts were phot away ; her jib-boom hung a tangled wreck over her bows; her bulwarks were shattered, half her guns were dismounted, n.nd near! v evt ry third man in her crew was struck down. But the sweating gunners. such as survived, never paused for a moment in their work of destruction, although many of them woro

wounded, and all were ready to drop from exhaustion.

Still, after four Lours of such fighting as even British sailors had never known, the Arethusa hung with quenchless and obstinate courage oil La Belle Poule's quarters; and by perfect seamanship and the deadlyjprecision with which her light guns were worked, reduced her cowering foe to a condition of wreck almost as complete as her own. The terrier, in fact, was proving too much for the mastiff.

When at last the magazines in each ship were empty and the last shot fired, tho wind fell, and the Arethusa was left a shattered, motionless wreck on the sea. while La Belle Poule. although her sail? were hanging in ribbons yet had enough canvas left to drift away and struggle into the shelter of a neighbouring cove. There she was quickly towed by shore-l>oats to a beirth in the middle of a group of dangerous reefs, unapproachable without a pilot.

The fight was off the Frenchman's land ; We forced her back upon their strand ; For we fought till not a stick would stand Of tho gallant Arethusa.

Tho Arpthusa, gallant as she was, could do no more. Her ammunition expended to the last ball and the Last ounce of powder, she could only cut away her wreckage, and rijj; up jurymasts with sufficient eail to drag back to the British fleet.

Rut although she took back no prize with her, the story of her heroic fight, when it was known, sent a 'thrill of exultation and pride through Great- Britain, which is still felt a century and more after she fired the last shot at La Belie Poule. Tn four hours sh© had won immortality and made th e name Arethusa the proudest borne by any British man-o'-war.