OUR DREADNOUGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 222, 7 February 1913, Page 5

OUR DREADNOUGHT.

THE KING'S VISIT. By Cable —Press Association —Copyng.it. London, February 5. Admirals Meux and Heath received King George on the battleship New Zealand. The others present included the Hun. T. Mackenzie, Sir Joseph Ward, Messrs. James Allen, Winston Churchill, L. Hareourt. McNamara and Jellicoe. and Admiral Prince Louis of Battenbnrg. The King devoted over an hour to a general tour, and was particularly interested in the barbette, where the crew operated the 12in. guns. He was also interested in the gyroscope compass, and was greatly amused at the decorations of the gun-room, which he said somewhat resembled a lady's boudoir. Before leaving, the King was photographed amidst the New Zealand's ollicers. He expressed to Captain Halsey his gratification, and wished the officers an enjoyable voyage. The Graphic says that the New Zealand's proper place is as a unit in a Pacific fleet, not standing in lieu of a ship which ought to be built by the Home Government. The New Zealand-bom officers and men on the battleship New Zealand were presented to the King. A THOROUGH INSPECTION. Received (i, 9.35 p.m. London, February 0. There was a complete absence of pomp and ceremony. The King first inspected the bakery, examined the white bread and recalled that when he was first at sea the bluejackets had to put up with weevily hl-vuits and maggoty flour. He then inspected the hydraulic-loading 12inch guns, with a rate of three rounds per minute. Engineer-Commander Turner showed him the new machinery in the engine-room. Seeing the mauve, white and green upholstery in the gunroom, he remarked "It is more like a lady's boudoir." This led to a general laughter, when someone pointed out that these were the suffragette colors. The crew introduced the ship's mascot, a bull pup named Pelorus Jack. The King was photographed beneath the shield of the New Zealand arms. He' r.fterwards inspected the Iron Duke, George V., and Queen Elizabeth. The latter is now an inert mass of ribs and plates. He then visited the floating dock and inspected, the latest submarine. "EMBLEM OF A NEW ERA." COMMENT. , • Received fi, 11.5 p.m. £ London, February 6. I The Telegraph says that the King's inspection was no empty formality. He is a practical sailor and an inheritor of the wardenship of the seven seas. The New,Zealaud L- an emblem of a newera, being the first gift by the daughter lands to the navy, whereon every Imperial intere-t depends. The vessel is a source of pride to every Englishman and a subject of amazement to those who thought to wrest Britain's sea supremacy from her. The New Zealand will carry British ideals of efficiency around the globe. She is charged with those aspirations of the Empire which are searching a means of translating the proverb "Union is strength" into terms that the world will understand-