WITH THE FLEET AT SEA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 136, 26 October 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

WITH THE FLEET AT SEA

A WEEK ABOARD A DESTROYER. A New /ealamlcr who had the honor and pleasure of spending some six days aboard the torpedo destroyer Acheron during the July naval manoeuvres sends the following readable description of his trip to a young Dunedin relative. His brief record Milords a very real glimpse into the work and greatness of the Navy:— I joined the good ship Acheron, torpedo destroyer, about 750 tons, at Dover, in time for luncheon on Saturday, duly (i. 1912, as the guest of her commander, Viscount Kelburn. There were two scouts, the store ship Venus, and 17 destroyers in port. After luncheon we went for a cruise in the whaleboat, centreboard, yawl rigged, blowing hard. Went to meet a large American liner coming up to Dover crowded with emigrants, we, in the little boat, sometimes on the top of a big sea, sometimes deep down in the trough, with the huge bulk of the liner apparently coming on top of us. Ripping. Ran back into port. On Saturday service was read by the commander. He gave me his cabin below, in which I was most comfortable, and we messed in the ward room with the other officers. At 5 p.m. the flotilla got under way, and steamed out in rotation, forming three lines—line ahead. It was splendid to see the precision with which each boat fell into position without fuss or nqise. Went under easy steam for the Solent. I was awakened at 2 a.m. by the message: "The captain wants you on the bridge, sir," and up I went, and e«mld have imagined myself in fairy-land. We were formed into two lines, and steamed through a double line »f battleships stretching for nearly six miles, all brilliantly lit up, and with first and secondclass cruisers, also in a blaze of light, lying in two lines between the battleships and the Isle of Wight—one of the most magnificent sights a man could see. I eould hardly leave it to go back to bed. ~,~

On deck again at 7.30, and there on the smooth Sea, in bright sunshine, this vast armament was spread out before me —battleships, cruisers, scouts, destroyers, mine droppers, submarines, store ships, and hospital ship—in all about 340. After breakfast we went on board the cruiser Warrior (Captain Tergusson), luncked ■with him and his wife, and be showed me his armament. Struck with the weight and power of it, and the quantity of machinery for working everything. The whole fleet is a cast collection of arma-

ments, heavy and light. The newest type of battleship has its superstructure greatly reduced, forming less of a target for the enemy. Each ship is a fighting unit, these being formed into larger units of flotillas and divisions, and the whole combined into the huge fleet forming the most powerful lighting unit in the world's history. Each unit is complete in itself, and yet all working together with absolute control and unanimity. ■ We had intended going on board other ships—the Shannon for one—but it began to blow, with a sea running, so we thought it better to return to the Acheron. On Tuesday morning found bright sunshine, and again the sea like glass, and after breakfast went round the fleet in the steam launch. It looked like a vast concourse of hives, with steam launches and boats buzzing about in and out, in all directions, like a lot of bees. There was a large collection of steam launches near the flagship; none alongside, but all grouped together at a little distance. Evidently the captains were in conclave with the Commander-in-Ghi«f.

Back to the Acheron for luncheon, and at about 2 o'clock the review began. The Enchantress, with the Lords of the Admiralty, steamed up from the south, followed by the Avondale Castle, with the Cabinet Ministers and the M.P.'s. They steamed slowly down between the battleships. No salutes were fired, but the ships were "'manned." They took up their machines at the northern end, and | the flying machines appeared. We were | too far off to see them on the water, I but watched them circling in the air around the fleet, sometimes at a great pace. About 5 p.m. the ships began to move out. First the cruisers, followed by the battleships. Quite wonderful to see each glide from its place with absolute precision, forming into two portions—line ahead; the largest number for the defending force in the coming manoeuvres going north by the west coast, the attacking force by the east coast. The destroyers were the last to leave, so we saw the whole movement. From the time of the first ship getting under way to the departure of the last destroyer must have been two or three hours. As soon as we had passed the Admiralty yacht Enchantress we increased our speed to 20 knots, picking up and passing the battleships and cruisers one after another. Our flotilla of 18 destroyers were in three lines—line ahead, two cable lengths, one behind another, and about 400 yards between each line. It came on to blow during the night, and when I went on deck on the Wednesday morning we were in the Bristol Channel, with a stiff breeze and a following sea. Both wind and sea increased as the day advanced, when it was one of the finest sights of my life —these three lines of destroyers forging ahead in a high following sea, but each keeping its place with astonishing accuracy. Watching these three advancing lines, we seemed to be in sone sheet of foam, very fascinating to watch, especially the ship immediately behind the Acheron, as she would at times shoot up on a big sea, as if she were coming on the top of us; again, at times we would be carried forward in like manner.

I stood on the bridge or astern for hours watching. Late in the afternoon an order was signalled along the lines for some of the flotilla to put into Troon to take oil (our fuel). The Acheron led these. I was sitting in the ward room, the table laid for dinner, when there was a sudden twist as we altered our course and come round into the trough of the sea. Before you could say "knife," the dinner things were off the table and on tne floor, and the plates and dishes in the pantry were dancing a fandango. 1 ran up on deck to sec the change made. Boats were crossing each other in all ways, and in apparent confusion, when, as if by magic, we and the others had dropped astern and were in our position, in two lines, and had dropped down to nine knots, while the remainder headed for Oban at 20 knots, and were soon out of sight. We arrived at Troon at daylight, and here I went oh shore, very sorry to say good-bye to my host and his officers," who had given me a rare good time, and showed me one of the finest sights of my life. I would have gone on to the manoeuvres, but leave was only granted to a very few officers on the active list.