THE SQUADRON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 35, 9 February 1906, Page 3

THE SQUADRON.

CEREMONIAL VISITS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) I WELLINGTON, this day. With five warships in port, including j the new flagship of the Australasian | squadron. H_M.s. Powerful, flying the fl;ig of Vice-Admiral Sir Wilmot Hawkesforth Fawke*. the harbonr pre- i sents a ffene of naval activity such as WellLngtonians have not had the privilege nf seeing for a long time. Three of the squadron, the Powerful, Pegasus, and the Cambrian, are new to these waters. The Powerful gives one the impression of being a larger and more formidable engine of destruction than its predecessor, the Euryalus, even at ihc distance "f her mooring?-, and the figures of her armament confirm the impression. As a matter of fact, the new j flagship is the largest and most majestic warship that has ever floated in our waters. The ceremonial visits between the Admiral (Sir Wilmot Hawkesforth Fawfcesi and his Excellency the Governor were exchanged to-day. A guard of honour was furnished from the Permanent Artillery, and a very large crowd of interested spectators g-athered on the ferry wharf to see the visitors. The Admiral was the theme of much admiration. Tall, erect, and stoutly built, he is dean-shaven according to naral usage, with short iron grey tufts of side whiskers. He has a. bluff, strong, and genial face, healthily tanfled, and he looks the popular ideal of a British admiral. His Excellency is said to be-wholly destitute of "side," and according to the statement of several of the crew of the Powerful is very popular with all sections of the squadron. A series of enterainments has been mapped out for t.he crews of the warships during their sojourn in port, and timp will certainly not hang heavy on their hands. To-morrow night Admiral Fawkes and the officers of the squadron will br the guests of the Navy League at a ball in the Town Hall. Next to the Admiral the most notable officer of the Powerful is the flag-cap-tain. Captain Lionel Halsey. who is described a? a man with a great future ttefore him. While holding the rank of lieutenant on FLM.s. Powerful he was placed in charge of the 4.7 gun in, the Princess Victoria battery at Cover Hill redoubt during the siege of Ladysmith. Lieut. Halsey was also executive officer to Captain Lambton towards the end of the siegp, and was generalrv in charge of ail the naval guns. He was mentioned for these services in a. despatch, and was promote to commander on Ist January, 1001. As recently as ."nth June last he attained his present rank. He was appointed a naval membe- nf the Admiralty Volunteer Committee at (he beginning of the present yp3 r. The warship Psycho, which was cabled having left Hobart for Wellington, with the Powerful. Cambrian. Challenger, and Pegasus, did not come to New Zealand, but is said to have returned to Sydney. The machinery space on ELMs. Powerful occupies about half the length of the ship—24oft.—and this, of course, in the middle part of the j vessel. Such is the price paid for high speed. The coal capacity of these vessels is very large, the "maximum amount carried being 3000 tons. A good deal of this coal is utilised as protection against the destructive effects of sheJl-fire. >te*M panels are largely used in place of wood for cabin partitions, etc. and sheet steel is largely used in all the places possible. The engines of the Powerful which consist of 2 pairs of three-stage -compound engines, designed by Mr. A. Blechyndon, have cylinders 45in. high pressure, 70in. intermediate, and two low-pre.ssure cylinders, p.acb of 76in-, the stroke being 4Sic. These incorporate the modern fea- j tures of steel in place of iron, and larg? j hearing surfaces. The boilers are, as in her sister ship, the Terrible., of the Belleville type, and 48 in number, in eight water-tight compartments. There arc 144 steam cylinders in the main and the arrxiliary engines, the former, however, contributing bnt eight of these. The boiler pressure is 2601b. to the square inch, -with reducing valves to bring it down to 2101b. in the cylinders. The totaj indicated horse-power is 2."),000. at 110 revolutions. The following comparison between the Euryalus and the Powerful is of interest : EuryalTis: Armoured cruiser. 12,000 tons displacement, length 440 ft., beam 69ft.. 6in. and draught 26ft. 3in. Engines of 21.000 indicated horse power, speed 21 knots: carries two 9.2 in. guns, twejve 6in. guns, fourteen 12 pounders, three 3 pounders, eight machine guns, I fitted with two torpedo tubes; coal ca- ■ pacify 10G0 tons: complement, 755 of- '■■ ficers and men. Powerful: First-class cruiser, displacement 14.200 tons, length 500 ft., beam 71ft., draught 29ft., engines of 25,Ofln indicated horse power, speed 22.1 knots, carries two 9.2 in. guns, sixteen ] 6in- fourteen 12 pounders, eight 3 poundI ers. two 2 pounders, nine machine guns, fined with four torpedo tabes: coal fa pa city 3000 tons, complement 840 offic* rs and men. ; THE CAMBRIAN. Tbe wajship Cambrian is a third- ! class cruiser of 43t50 tons displacement, ; and was built at Pembroke in 1889. She is 320 if.. lone. 49ft. 6in. in beam, and s)ic draw? Ifift. Her engines aj"e from the Hawthorn foundry, and deve.l\_ . 9000 h.p.. giving her a speed of 19.5 knots. She carries two 6in. guns, eight 4.7 in. guns, eight six-pounders, 1 threcpotinder, and four machine {runs, four torpedo tubes, completing her armament. The Cambrian cost £284.883 to build, and she is a much smaller vessel than the Challenger, recently in Auckland.