WARSHIPS IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 190, 12 August 1922, Page 17

WARSHIPS IN AUCKLAND.

I Owing to the troublous times of the Maori War we had frequent visits from Her Majesty's ships of war, and some of them used to make quite long stays in port. In January of 1866 there were no less than five men-o'-war in the Waitemata, the Curacoa (Commander Wiseman), the Eclipse (Captain Freemantle), the Esk (Captain Luce), the Brisk (Captain Hope), and the Falcon (Captain Parker). THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S VISIT. A memorable scene on the Waitemata fifty years ago was the flying squadron when it arrived in connection with the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh. ' The understanding previously made with the Governor was for the squadron to assemble at Kawau and one ship to be sent on to make arrangements for the Duke's reception. When a warship anchored off the Wynyard Pier 1 was the first man to board her. When I reached the gangway I was told nobody was allowed on board. My card was sent to the wardroom officers and I was shortly afterwards conducted to their quarters, and was surprised to learn that the ship was the Galatea with the Duke on board. The other ships arrived the following morning, I prior to the public reception. After securing some papers and report of the Galatea's voyage I was about to leave the ship wjien I was asked by a gentleman, whom I took to be one of the officers, if I could take a couple of passengers ashore. I readily assented to the request, and just after dark we started for the wharf. When we landed I was requested to kindly bring a cab down to the watermen's steps. Having fulfilled my promise (I went down with the cab), I returned to the office and announced the Dtfke'e arrival. The next morning, to my surprise, cabby called upon mc for the fare, ac the two passengers alighted without paying him. The day after the public reception the gentleman who had asked for the passage ashore came to mc and apologised for leaving the cabman without paying up. H« eaid: "You had the honour of bringing the Duke aehore in your boat. I am Detective Christie, taken on at Melbourne, and have to chaperon him throughout the cruise." By a curious coincidence I was one of the first to receive the Duke of York (our I present King) when he visited Auckland. [ I was appointed by the Government one j of three commissioners to make all arrangements and receive the Royal gueste at the wharf when the Duke and Duchess landed. The other gentlemen with mc were the late Hon. S. Thome George and Mr. J. McLeod. On the morning after the arrival of the Galatea, the other ships of the squadron with a light north-east wind rounded the North Head with all sail set. With their white wings spread it was a very pretty sight. A SURPRISE VISIT. On May 8. 186!>. a man-of-war was signalled at about half-past three in the afternoon from Flagstaff Hill, and everyone thought it would be H.M.s. Challenger with his Excellency the Governor jit G, F. BjßWfift en beard. Hie Excel-.

lency was expected to reach Auckland in advance of the Duke of Edinburgh, who was travelling in the 3000-ton frigate Galatea, escorted by the famous flying squadron. It had been expected that the shins would gather at Kawau and come to Auckland together. But in the words of a writer of that day, "The signal had not long been up before the noble proportions of the vessel were in full view as she rounded the North Head. Her great height out of the water, the massive symmetry of

her hull, and the loftiness and trimness of her "spars and rigging were her most notable features. As she came gallantly but steadily up the harbour, imitpr rTow steam the eves of the people crowded on the wharf were strained towards her. As yet no one could tell her name, though all agreed she was not the Challenger. It did not seem to strike anyone that the strange ship was the Galatea herself." But so it turned out. The unexpected arrival or the Duke upset the calculations of the reception committee, but bj •treauoue effort* pre-

parations were completed in time for the official landing at eleven o'clock on the morning of May 10. The Challenger, with the Governor on board, arrived in the harbour about fifteen hours behind the Galatea. The Duke's gig was escorted to the shore by three large Maori war canoes manned by 180 natives. On landing the Duke was received by his Excellency the Governor (Sir G. F. Bowen), his Honor the Superintendent of the Province, Mr. John Williamson; the Hon.

Dr. Pollen, Resident Minister; members of the provincial executive, and reception committee. The "Southern Cross," of May 11, notes the following congregated at the landing stage: —Messrs. T. MacFarlane. M.G.A. (chairman Reception Committee), J. Ogilvie (hon. secretary Reception Committee), A. Clark; M.G.A., Colonel Balneavis, Messrs. H. S. McKellar (Collector of Customs), P. Dignan, M.P.C, M.GA., provincial executive; R. J. Creighton, M.P.C, M.G.A., provincial secretary; R. W. Wynn, iLP.C, grovinciftl joliciiori C*pt. Bui-

gess, chief pilot; Capt. Ellis, harbourmaster; H. N. Brewer, sub-collector of Customs; Hon. H. Chamberlin, Hon. James O'Neill, Captains Dinnin, Hobbs Stuart and Kelly (Auckland Militia), Messrs. J. M. French, O. Lewis, J. Mackay (Civil Commissioner), C. 0. Davis, J. Preece, J. Young, J. O'Meara, M.P.C, W. Mitchell, D. Graham, J. J. Fitzgibbon, T. Cheeseman, G. P. Pierce, I_ie.it. Nathan, Commissary-General Innis. A. Boardman (Curator of Intestate 'Estates), J. M. Clark, X Freer,

M.P.C., Major Heaphy, M.G.A., E. MacKean, M.P.C. (deputy superintendent), G. M. O'Rorke, M.GA. (Speaker of the Auckland Provincial Council), Hon. C. J. Taylor, Major Cooper, and others. I believe all the people mentioned in this list have since passed away with the exception of Mr. J. Preece, who I understand ie still residing on the East C'oa__t. Reading over the report of the reception it seems strangely familiar. Ships and city have changed but human nature is very much the same, and making due allowance the people of ball

•A century back entertained their royal visitor very much as we do to-day. [NOTE. —A large amount of interesting correspondence dealing particularly with shipping and wrecks in the early days has been received by the writer, an I it is intended to publish portions of these letters in a subsequent article. Tn response to numerous requests, when the series of articles is completed they will be republished in a handy pamphlet form.] (To be continued next Saturday.)