ABOARD THE FLAGSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 188, 11 August 1925, Page 13

ABOARD THE FLAGSHIP.

THE GREAT CALIFORNIA.

IMMENSE ELECTRICAL MACHINE.

Off Ranjritoto Beacon the Harbour Board's fast launch Waitemata described a half circle and swept boldly in against the towering sides of the leading ship of the fleet, the giant flagship California, Immediately the harbourmaster, Captain Sergeant, who was to pilot the monster to her berth, sprang up the gangway of the battleship followed by a Naval officer, the "fcitar" representatives, and a couple of photographers. Crowding' the great raised decks for'ard were | hundreds of youthful Americans, standing by under the immense superstructures, whilst on the quarterdec"k were numerous smiling officers and men, eagerly glimpsing the unrivalled panorama spread about them. There was not that frequent piping of the bosuns | whistle which one hears immediately on j boarding a British man-o'-war. and one. > hearing of the bustling methods of the ! "Yanks." was struck by the fact that I although duty men went quickly about 1 on various errands, there was no appear- I ance of "rush." As for the decks, nothing could be more spotless, and all about there prevailed a full measure of I that spick and span appearance which we have come to regard as something particularly appertaining to the British Navy. In this, at least, our American cousins give us full measure of rivalry. The intrusive pressman is at once struck by the kindly geniality of the officers, who immediately all set about to furnish all possible information. These men are not laced around and about by formality; they are just nice, obliging men. who do not seek to impress the visitor with an idea that they are super-saints because they are garbed in the uniform of the Navy. They convey an impression of friendly affability, though one and all quite apparently know their job. Their informality, apart from the formalities demanded "by discipline, is something altogether pleasing. To hear them addressing each other by their Christian names, like boon comrades, despite their various ranks, gives a refreshing idea of the spirit of comradeship which prevails among the officers of the U.S. Navy. The -ratings reveal that the personnel of the Fleet is one of youth. An officer explained that the average age of the United States "tar ,, was only a little over 21' years. A very great percentage of these were Grammar School and High School lads. In bygone days, he said, the navy used to recruit from the sea coast towns mostly. Now the lads came from all parts of the States to ■join up. and they were for the most | part well educated young fellows. The day of the real individual bull-dog type of sailor had gone, for on the ships of j Uncle Sam most of the work was mechanical. Six of the battleships which arrived here to-day are electrically driven, whilst almost every operation on board, apart from drill, was done by electricity. The California, though not as long, nor as fast, as the famous British battlecruiser Renown, yet impresses one just j as greatly with her great armament, j She is of over :42.000 tons displacement, • and her six great 14in guns for'ard. three : in each turret, and similar equipment aft, I give a striking idea of her power. Probably she could throw a greater weight of metal than the Renown,, and her light armament is also impressive. Steaming abreast of North Head the Britisher" aboard ■ the California was givenoa gratifying idea of the respect which is accorded Great Britain by the United States Navy, for as the flagship's six-pounders sounded the royal salute of twenty-one guns—one gun every five seconds—down came the Stars and Stripes from her main and up in its place went the British naval ensign. Then as the sound of the last answering gun from the fort at North Head died away the California's band played the ' first verse of the British national ' anthem, whilst officers and men stood at | the salute. It made the beholder feel | that there was something very much akin about our cousins from the Great American Confederation. The great flagship swung noiselessly around North Head, followed by the other eight vessels of the fleet in perfect alignment. It was a perfectly accomplished manoeuvre, and a revelation of perfectly controlled power. It was a wonderful sight from the quarter-deck of the flagship to see the other battleships sweeping after her astern, and one imagined that the spectacle from the shore must have been even more impres- I eive. j Crowds of small craft came in upon j the flagship as she eased down upon her mooring buoys like gulls about an albatross, and the sailors of Uncle Sam waved gaily back to the gay greetings of those on the mosquito fleet,' whiles various hopeful expressions were made as to the entertainment awaiting on r shore. '"Don't you believe that yarn put about by one of the American pressmen that we were boycotted in Sydney," said one officer, laughing. "Gee! I wouldn't mind if we were boycotted in that way every day in the week." j The flagship came slowly to the stop . and drew up with precision right on her j moorings, and as her anchors went down and her giant chain rattled through th(j hawse-pipes, the following ships responded to the signal to "let go," and the whole fleet came quietly to anchor—with as little fuss as may have by as many fishing boats.