NAMING OF DREADNOUGHTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 28 February 1913, Page 4

NAMING OF DREADNOUGHTS.

A story characteristic of Mr Churchill, not for obvious reasons published in ■ the papers in this country, is being .told in connection with the naming of new Dreadnoughts (writes tho London correspondent of the Sydney Daily l'elograph). Mr Churchill is a great admirer of Oliver Cromwell, and he wished one of the new battleships to bear the Protector's name. The naming of the ships of the -Navy is a matter in which the King has some choice raid right of approval. Soon after, Mr Oku'chill became First Lord of the Admiralty he sent to Buckingham Palace a list of names of new vessels "Oliver Cromwell" was suggested for the latest Dreadnought. The King is said to have expressed his displeasure, and it was intimated to the First Lord that it was scarcely tactful to suggest to his majesty iliiat one >f his battleships should be named .ifter the man who had caused one of his predecessors to lose his head. That ended the matter until, some months afterwards, Mr Churchill submitted 1 a second list of Dreadnoughts, in which "Oliver Cromwell" again appeared. Tho King'again demurred, and the incident is said to have closed with the remark from Mr Churchill that he thought a battleship bearing Cromwell's name would, at least, have been highly popular with his Majesty's Nonconformist subjects.