H.M.S. CHATHAM

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1922, Page 4

H.M.S. CHATHAM

VISIT TO NEW PLYMOUTH. ARRIVAL TO-MORROW EVENING. INTERESTING WAR HISTORY. H.M.S. Chatham, the first cruiser attached to New Zealand under the Imperial naval defence scheme, is due at New Plymouth to-morrow about 7 p.m. from the west coast of the South Island. The Chatham is the Dominion flagship. The Chatham belongs to the light cruiser class, was built at Chatham in 1911, and commissioned in 1912. The Chatham class of cruisers were completed between the years 1911-18, and comprise, besides the Chatham, the Southampton, Dublin, Birmingham. Nottingham, and Juowestoft. All these vessels are light cruisers of 5400 tons, with turbines of 22,000 h.p. and a speed of 25% knots. The armament of the Chatham consists of eight 6-inch and nine smaller guns. Her coal capacity is 1000 tons; her complement during the war was 400 officers and men; and her approximate cost was £350,000. In the beginning of the war the Chatham was with the Home Fleet, but shortly afterwards she proceeded to the East African coast, where, it may be recalled, she succeeded in rounding i»p that troublesome German raider the Konisberg. Subsequently she did duty between, the Suez Canal and Gallipoli, but towards the end of 1916 she joined the Grand Fleet at the time of the battle of Jutland. At this time she carried Admiral Napier and Rear-Admiral Hunt. While the latter was on boar<l she was mined, managing, however, to make port, owing to her excellent arrangement of the water-tight compartment. Whilst in the North Sea the Chatham was flagship of the light cruiser squadron. The Chatham’s present crew consist.* of what is described as a “skeleton” crew. Its full complement numbers 500, and this number will be made up by New Zealand recruits from the Philomel. The Chatham is of the same class as the Melbourne. The names of the principal officers are: Commodore Hotham, C.M.G.; Commander Prickett, Commander Thomas, Engineer-Commander Cutfir, SurgeonCommander Patterson, Life-Boat Commander Agar, V.C., D. 5.0., Lieutenants O’Connell, Bash, Romer, Paymaster Lieu-tenant-Commander Salo, Paymaster Lieutenant Pigott, Sub-Lieutenant Prevett, Engine-Lieutenant Pont. There are sixty New Zealanders among the seamen and stokers.