A LINK OF EMPIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1921, Page 5

A LINK OF EMPIRE.

ARRIVAL OF THE FLAGSHIP. AN IMPORTANT EVENT. By Telegraph —-Press Association Auckland, Last Night. On the occasion of the arrival in New Zealand of H.M.S. Chatham, the Gov-, ernor-General has forwarded the following telegraphic message to the Secretary of Stiate for the Colonies: “On behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand, I wish to express the pleasure with which the arrival of H-M.S. Chatham yesterday was welcomed. The people of the Dominion feel that the presence of this ship in New Zealand waters ! creates a fresh link of Empire, and is a sign of the future close co-operation between the Government of New Zealand and the Admiralty, as well as of. the fact that the ships guarding the interests of the Empire in all parts of the world, even if acting under local authority, constitute one force under one flag.—(Signed), JELUCOE.” PREMIER VISITS THE SHIP. WELCOME TO HER COMPANY. Auckland, Last Night. The Prime Minister JeffAuckland' J>y i the afternoon express for Wellington, i His visit here was to welcome the New | Zealand flagship, H.M.S. Chatham, which he visited yesterday afternoon to return [the formal call of the Commodore, Capi tain A. G. Hotham, C.MjG. The Hon. : Dr. Pomare, member of the Executive ; representing the native race, made one : of the party. Arrived on board, the Prime Minister was received by the officers of the : Chatham, and he made a brief visit of ■ inspection. The ship’s company was j drawn up on deck, and addressing them : Mr. Massey expressed the hope that ! they would be so pleased with the conditions in the Dominion that they would ! make the country their new home. He [ asspred them that they could be cer- : tain of a very warm welcome at what- ; ever port they visited. At the con- ! elusion of the Premier’s remarks three | rousing cheers were given him by ths ! officers and crew. PARTICULARS OF THE CRUISER. HER BUILD AND*ARMAMENT. H.M. light cruiser Chatham was presented to the Dominion by the Imperial Government as a nucleus for the Dominion Navy. The Chatham is one of several sister ships built at Chatham under the provisions of the naval programme of 191112. The type was specially designed to meet certain requirements of the oversea stations where cruisers of fair speed, quick-firing armament, and economical coal consumption could be advantageously employed or alternatively kept in British waters to act as screens to the bigger ship squadrons, do scouting and patrol work, all of which duties the Chatham carried out during the war. She measures 430 ft. in length, has a beam of 49$ft., a draught of 15$ft., and a displacement of 5400 tons at the load line. At her speed trials she easily ran her contract speed of 25.9 knots, with a little in hand for contingencies—all of which she needed in the late war, when she was frequently put on her mettle.

With regard to protection, a 3in. steel deck encloses her vitals. The main armament of the Chatham comprises eight 6in. guns, and her secondary or antitorpedo armament includes four 3-pound-ers, and during the war she was fitted with a 3in gun for anti-aircraft work. During the war the boilers of the Chatham were altered so as to allow a proportion of them being oil fired. Her bunkers have now space for 260 tons and her double bottom space for 1260 tons of oil. She has a torpedo equipment for the 12in. weapon. Her keel was laid down on January 3, 1911, and she was completed for sea in 20 months, at a cost of £349,538. When in full commission the Chatham carries a crew of 400 officers and men all told. She was refitted in August. 1920, at a cost of £170,000.