Inspection of The Victorian Navy.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 214, 11 September 1886, Page 4

Inspection of The Victorian Navy.

The annual inspection of tho &hlps, workshop? and drill sheds belonging to tho Victorian navy, as well ns of tho officers and men of tho naval brigade drilled with the permanent force, took placo on Saturday, in a quiet and unprotonding but thorough i way. Capt. Thomas, naval commandant, accompanied by Mr Lorimer, Minister of Dofenco, and Mr. W. Steel, InspactorGonoral of Public Works, arrived nt Port Melbourne at 11.30, and after viewing tho recontly constructed drill shod for tho sub marine torpodo corps, and the proposed Bite hard by of thoflhed about toboeroctod fortho recent Molbourno dotachmont of tho Naval Brigado, proceeded across llobsou't! Bay to Williamatown to sco the torpedo stores, tho ongines and charging apparatus juatorected by the Public Works Department, and the torpodo boats theinselvos now lying on the slips. Corainandor Collins, Lieutenant HelyHutchineon, and Chief Engineer Hayamans accompanied the party. Tbe new Fiume torpedoes ar6 lying here, together with tha stores appertaining to tho branch. The rocent rough weather was found to have seriously tested the new galvanised iron store 100 feet x 90 feet, as wall as the adjoining annexes ,each 50 feet x (JO, feet tho one intended for a workshop, the othor for leaky, and probably some defective construolion in tho window fittings will require to be remedied. A drill shed for the VVilliamatown detachment of tho brigade remains to be constructed. Tho ecgiues at d air pumps for charging the Whitehoads up to a prefßuro of 2,000.b to tho equar9 inch are in position, the former being erectod on a bed of masonry of gmat solidity. Tho Childors, Nepean and Lonsda'o appeared in capital order after their recent eorvice at Geolong, and wero cloan andehipihapo, although their ropaintingbad bsen interrupted by tho lato wot weather ; their onginos wore as clean as friction could make thorn, the stool parts shining like burnishod silver. Mr C. A. Dann, torpodo warrant officer, was in attendance to accompany tho party ovor thia portion of tho inspection. Tho occupants of the launch thon wont on board tho Nolson for lunch, shortly aftor which i tho stoamor convoying tho Naval brigado, commamlel by Captain Fullarton arrived alongside and after putting on tho Nelson the men told off as her crow, proceeded to tho other voxels. The following is the mustor of tho Naval Brigado on tho various ships :—Notson, SO petty officers and men ; Corborus, 50 ; Victoria and Albeit, cicli 15. Captain Fullarton took command of tho Cerberus party, and Lieutenant Robortaon, Sub-Lieutonnnt Smith and Sub Donnis of those on board tho Nelson, Victoria and Albert. StaiTSurgoon Stewart was told off to tho Nelson, and Surgeon Choetham to thn Cerberus. Tho commandant thon, commencing with tho Nelson, whoso crow ns a rulo consists of those most rocontly joined, put oach division througli a wvoro course of drill, the men being told olT'to thoir quarters and oxorcised in gunnery, attack and dofonco at distmco and close quarters, firoquartorn, manning armed boat", manning an armed vessel and jirepariag fur torpedo attack. Munut I oxercieo was performed, f-emaphoro and more signalling was practised and such otlicoM :ia wero conversant with tho alphabet of Hags wero tos-ted as to their knowledge of tho tnino, Captain l'homas's launch, when nearing tho Corborus, represented a torpedo boat, and pteamed rapidly round tho iiouclad, whoso revolving turrotß fo'.lowod her oonrao, tho muzzles of tlio two 10 inch guns, which covered hor hull, appeiring to gluro like the wrathful eyes of a wild beast, while tho Nordonfeldts on tho beam of tho Cerberus played on tho oxposed parts of tho torpedo launch. This part of tho inspection Wfis particularly interootine, reminding tho visitor ot Lord Cochrano's famous oxploit On 2Sth February, ISOI, when with tho Httlo top Spocdy, carrying a few 4 ponndorii, ho captured tho Spanish frignto El flnmo, of 32 tons, pimply by running alongside and tiring info her, hia antagonist being tinablo to doposohergun3andblowhimoutof tha water. His cuccess was materially enhanced by tho employment of tho ingonious dovico of blackening tho fneof of tho boarding party, who on appearing over tho bulwarks «oro mistaken for riovils by tho nlfrightol Spaniards who lied bolow and surrendered. Captain Thomas's man(eiT.o might, with tho aid of a little imagination, bo Piippoaod to occur at night, tho dnrknea-i rendered visiblo by the electric light shod from tho Corberul, searching for and possibly discovering tho intruder. Aftor boarding tho Carberu« tho commandant caused turret and other drill to bo gone through, tho oilicers taking their turn to roplaco thoso supposed to.bo killed in action, and the inspection terminated with manning boats, pulling past and saluting. The commandant wiil probably shortly publish a gonoral order, with observations on tho drill, condition of tho engines, guns, &c, and appearance of tho men.

During the afternoon a lecture was dolivorcd by Liout. Holy-Hutchinson to tho ?quad of torpedo mon in tho newly fitted instruction theatre on board tho Nolson. This room contaius on interesting collection of sectional modols of all the shot and shell used in tho colony, electrical appliaucos and pplicaa for wire cables, two Gatling guns and a great collection of objects, somo knowledge of which is indisponsablo to naval pofii iancy. Any man not on duty may com" in and study in tho room during daylight