OUR SHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 88, 14 April 1913, Page 6

OUR SHIP.

AN HISTORIC EVENT. i . , . i . ARRIVAL IN WELLINGTON. (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") . WELLINGTON, Saturday. Grey New Zealand's gift battle cruiser steamed up into Port Nicholson this : afternoon to commence an historic visit of Imperial significance. .With naval precision the big ship kept exactly to its time-table. A wireless message said she would enter the Heads at 1;15 p.m., and one could have set a watch by the time of passing that particular point. Awaiting her in a sheltered bay were the Government, training ship Amokura and the Government steamers Tutanekai and Hinemoa, the . latter uncomfortably crammed with Civil Service representatives, and the Tutanekai, the larger ship, reserved for Ministers, a few legislators and friends, scarcely forty altogether. A RUNAWAY WELCOME. The battle cruiser can steam 27 knots (31 J miles) an hour if her full power is utilised, but she came into the har-, bour raising scarcely a ripple around her ample bows. It was curious to contrast the ease with which the giant drifted up against a brisk northerly while other vessels pushed along at full speed, and then were left behind. Those fine prim lines of yachts, steamers and motor-boats which had been arranged on .paper failed to take shape for a long time. ; The Mararoa, jammed with sightseers, herself a stirring picture of happy humanity, came down harbour at full speed, but the time lost in turning left her hopelessly behind. The '■ slow-moving Amokura, better, under sail than steam,' shared a like fate.. Away ahead went the New Zealand, her men mustered on deck and at every point up to the fighting tops. At last her navigating officers noted how they were running away from the welcome, and the big ship slowed down enough to allow of the procession to take shape. This was achieved, for the last mile of the route, and the sight as the anchors went down with a roar into ten fathom's was worth the waiting for. .' The sun had come out, and, although the breeze was strong enough to keep flags flying stiff as boards, there were ' thousands of sightseers . afloat and on ■ the near hills ashore. THE SMART SAILORMAN. The instant the anchors found bottom booms were run out for both sides, and in less than a minute gangways were down and braced in position. Fifty feet above the water, slung -from a ; crane like a toy steamer, was the captain's pinnace, with steam' blowing off and mechanics and coxswain in position. Smoothly the little craft was lowered, and scarcely five'"minutes-passed before the battle cruiser wore her port rig complete/ ■ '• ■ SONGS OF WELCOME. It wae appropriate that the first ehout of welcome to. the newest of warships should come from the Stormbird, oldest of iron ships in commission. " A band played .the National Anthem, and a thousand cheers came from the old ebip. Then the children's opportunity came. A big ferry steamer,"-with, 'heads showing everywhere, ran.cioae alongside the New. Zealand, and remained "while the children sang several patriotic conge prettily and with vim; 300 childish voices cheered the New Zealand, and there were similar bursts of enthusiasm from neighbouring vessels. ( But bhe battle cruiser's men had work -to do smartly, and they put enthusiasm into .that alone. < ' Soon after anchoring, Captain Halsey cam* ashore 'to visit the Governor at Government House,.and these formalities of visite and return calls filled in the afternoon. ... ■> . -FIRST IMPRESSIONS. : ; The first point noticeable about the New Zealand is the irregular placing of ■her three funnels. The 'foremost runs up high ahove the Test close behind the conning tower. Then there is a clear deck space, out of which comes a big smokestack, square with rounded edges, while further astern is a smaller funnel. The front view, as most impressive/ The great i2in. gitns with . their heavy ■turrets project not only from the: centre line of . the ship, hut from protected mountings on either side,'haying a clear , outlook direc-tly ahead. The foredeck is hig.h out of the water, and ■• there is a big freebpard two-thirds of the ship's lengfth." During the trip the ship's, powerful , wireless equipment was •able toconnect. Australia with South Africa, an official message, between those two distant points being relayed by the New Zealand. One looks in vain for the operatore' cabin on. an upper deck.' It. is , " snugly out of harm's way in the ship's interior. .'..•'• ' : . -. ' !',''. A PLEASURE CRUISE. One gathered that the ship's company ■ is delighted with her as a sea boat, and for her roominess. The cruise, too, with : its constant series of pleasure jaunts ashore in. prospect, made ..places on the New Zealand the subject of keen competition-. "'We have been-splendidly received all along," said one pr the lieutehants. " We thought- when we.'. left Capetown that nothing could, beat the time we had'there!'but Durban and the . visits to Johannesburg and Pretoria were just as good; and although the newspapers suggest that the reception in Melbourne was chilly, we did not think so." And then he showed with pride a fine collection of' presentation silver which the ship received from South Africans, and he took your correspond- : ent up to the ample deck amidships, , where, high up between two of the fun- , nels, swung a great illuminated crown, , the ship's crest, ."specially given to. us because we are the first of the Imperial ships." Every battleship has either a, fancy title as a parody on its name or a whimsical jest current regarding its structural peculiarities. The ship's company is not disposed to jest about the battle, cruis- . er's name,, so the curious trio of funnels , I have already .referred to has been christened Faith, Hope and Charity. "We call that charity," explained the lieutenant, pointing to. the big fqre- . funnel, "because, of course, the greatest of the.se is Charity-" The high freeboard «o noticeably in ' the New Zealand has an important bearing :On the comfort of men and officers. ! It enables the roomy main deck to be J devoted entirely to the men, leaving 1 1 the forecastle deck, as the deck above 5 it is called, to give ample accommodation •■ for officers. . ". THE TRIP FROM AUSTRALIA. No record-breaking waa attempted during the run from Melbourne. A , flf teen-knot speed was tile.general rule , with one exception, a. "day's run at 17. » Fine weather" was ' experienced, but. a • heavy swell showed, as one of the offipm J»«t & *>))*■% eomebod.y bad h*e^

getting a big blow. .'Thirty toMof coal are needei -hourly to run at full speed. With so big a ship a fifieen-knot speed is necessary, to give proper steerage way, but in consideration of the eftips which;'came out to'the welcome, it was dropped to 11 knots. , .