THE OAMARU REVIEW AND NAVAL ATTACK.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1498, 27 April 1886, Page 3

THE OAMARU REVIEW AND NAVAL ATTACK.

Fromats early hour .on Saturday morning large crowds of people began to pour into Oamaru to witness the principal event of the Volunteer movements held there—the naval attack on Oamaru. The last train with volunteers arrived on Friday about half-past one o'clock, and these brought up the total in camp to about 2500 men. These were made up as follows ; North Canterbury district... ... 597 South Canterbury district ... ... 831 Southland district 169 Otago County district 101 Oamaru district ... 103 First Batallion o,ttgo Rifles ... 389 Other Companies and Bands ... 380 Artillery Corps ... ... ... 239 Naval Corps... ... 801

Total ... 2600 The'following compose the staff; — Commander of the Forces, Colonel tbe Hon. Sir George Whitmon, K.C.M.G. A.D.C., Major Porter. Commander of the Naval Forces Afloat, Bear-Admiral Scott. Flag-Captain, Commander Horne. Chief of the Staff, Colonel the Hon. J. Deßenzie Brett. Assistant Adjutant-General, Captain Hume. Assistant Quarter-Master-Qeneral, Captain Anderson. Commander of the Cavalry, Major Slater. Brigadiers, Lieut.-Colonel' Lean (lat Canterbury Brigade), Lieut.-Colonel Staveley (2nd Otago Brigade). Brigade Majors, Captain Coleman (Cavalry), Major Newall (Ist Brigade), Major Gordon (2nd Brigade). Provest Marshall, Major Goring. The South Canterbury contingent was made up as follows-Timaru Navala, Captain Meason, 54 ; C Battery Artillery, Captain Hameraley, 51; Timaru Rifles, Captain White, 53 ; Tetnuka Rifles, Captain Hayhurat, 37; Ashburton Rifles, Captain Douglas, 48 ; Ashburton Guards, Captain Ndrthey, 14; Geraldine Rifles, Lieut. Ward, 38; Waimate Rifles, Captain Studholnoe, 25. All the men slept in camp, about four miles out of town, on Friday night, and in the morning left to march into town to take part in the great event of the day. A plan of the attack and defence had been drawn up, and this plan was adhered to as circumstances permitted. The ships of the attacking force were the Hinemoa, the Beautiful Star, the Plucky, the Chau, and the Reynolds, and on board these vessels were ail the Naval companies With tbe exception of those belonging to Oamaru. At twe o’clock the squadron of the enemy hove in sight, and Rear-Admiral Scott, who was in command, sent a beat ashore with a flag of truce, and demanded a largt sum- of money and supplies of coal and food from the inhabitants, intimating that if bis demands were not acceded to he would bombard the town, and afterwards , give.it over to pillage. The message was treated with contempt, and the Admiral told to do his worst. He / immediately .put his ships into fighting . trim and the battle commenced . with a shot from the Hinemoa, aboard of which vessel was Rear-Admiral Scott. The firing thereafter became pretty general from the ships and the .-. shore batteries. The fleet steamed around the bay, dropping their boats filled with men, and covering their attempt to land with brisk fire. The Hotchkiss gun aboard the flagship was fired with great • rapidity. This was vigorously replied to from the shore, and on tbe attempt ef the boats to enter the harbor being made the i rifle corps and artillery with small arms, kept op a continuous fusilade, under which it would have been impossible to - land ; the big gnns at the same time keeping up a brisk- fire from the best vantage points along tbe shore. As the ' boats were about to enter the harbor, it bad been arranged that two mines, over which old surf-boats were placed, should be exploded, but owing to the propeller of the Hinemoa disturbing the wires when she was leaving the harbor in the morning, they could not be fired at tbe appointed time. Two or three boats entered the harbor, but were mot with such a withering fire that they had to draw back from the shore. The launch Reynolds then entered the harbor, towing a barge crowded with nsvals, but the torpedo boat slipping out from tbe shelter of the breakwater drew near her and fired a torpedo that was supposed to disable ' her. The torpedo boat then went out of the harbor, and, approaching tbe ships of the attacking fleet, went through the action of exploding torpedoes against them, at the same time being met with a brisk musketry. At this time the mine

was sprung beneath the aurlboat which did duty for an enemy's ship, and the surfbost was blown to places which were followed up about 160 or 200 feet in the air by a large volume of water. The Reynolds then hoisted a lag of truce; the battle ended, and the etearners entered the harbor again. The attack and defence ware admirably planned and carried out, and reflected much credit on those concerned. The battle lasted about an hour, and was witnessed by about 10,000 people, who came by steamer and by train long distances to see it. The weather was splendid, and the sea was perfectly smooth. The cliffs enabled the visitors to obtain a splendid view of the engagement, every movement both of the attacking and defending forces being plainly visible with the naked eye. The guns were splendidly handled, and while the engagement was on the noise was deafening. The movements of the torpedo boats, which went about at the rats of some 18 knots per hour, excited universal admiration and plainly showed that they would be very awkward to deal with in the event of actual warfare. Altogether, the display may be said to have been well planned and admirably carried out, not an accident occurring. It ia estimated that about 1000 persons booked from Timaru on Saturday morning, and had a email special train been run at an early hour from Orari to Timaru in time te connect with the train to Oamaru, doubtless a good many of the residents of this district would have gone. As it was a party of about 20 left Temuka in an express about 6 o’clock on Friday morning and caught the train at Timaru, and considered themselves well repaid for the trouble and expense they were put to. Yesterday there was a sham fight in which the men acquitted themselves admirably, and afterwards a review and march past.