THE NAVAL MANŒUVRES. A SINGULAR CONTRETEMPS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 413, 23 October 1889, Page 6

THE NAVAL MANŒUVRES. A SINGULAR CONTRETEMPS.

The "Daily News" correspondent on Her Majesty's ship Sandfly reports a serious mistake by some of Sir George Tryon's vessels in the recent British naval manoeuvres oft" the English coast. He writes : In the absence of tangible foea some of the defending flotilla have been involved in active hostilities against their own friends. The other night the Spider and several torpedo boats were sent out with secret orders to the Mercury, whose cruising ground was near tho Irish coast. I do not know who was responsible for that arrangement, but it seems that these spiteful, steathy, and mischievous-looking craft were the worst possible messengers that could have been selected for bending with friendly despatches in the darkest depths of a moonless night. They had to proceed with few lights, being in danger of detection by any of the enemy's ships that might be about, and they came upon the Mercury, where she had spme reason to fear an attack from Admiral Bairds torpedo boats. Natural result — No time for parley or signal before she had opened fire on them. In an instant the whole length of her network was ablaze with the flames of quick-firing guns, and through the smoke she kept up an incessant discharge that would have certainly sunk one or more of the flotilla. The confusion seems to have been complicated by loss of head on the part of some one in command, for when the Spider ranged up almost within bailing distance of the Mercury's port beam, that ship treated her with a terrific broadside from every starboard gun. Thus the Spider was unscratnhed and able to make herself known, while the Mercury was tiring at nothing on the wrong aide. Mishaps of this kind might happen in real warfare, but it is to.be hoped that no senior officer in local command would then be quite foolish enough to despatch a tormidable flotilla of torpedo boats- and torpedo catchers with instructions to one of his own ships without having previously informed her that she might expsct friendly messengers in this warlike guise.

All the lovely tints of lilac, mauve and heliotrope are suddenly restored to their old-time popularity. Some of the new dyes shade exquisitely into faint tints of old rose. Thesailor hat has had its day in England, and is succeeded by the hat which turns up at the back and has illusion, fastened down with li**le velvet bows, drawn over the crown. Mr Clapperton, manager for Messrs W. Me Arthur and Go. at Tongatabu, arrived in town last evening from Tonga by the steamer Wuinui. Mr Clapperton is accompanied by his wife and child. Black laces and white laces are beautifully combined in some of the new Corday and Marie Antoinette fichus, and capes and gowns formed of this magpie mixture aie among some of the most elegant dresses of the season.