AN INSPIRING SPECTACLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 199, 24 August 1925, Page 8

AN INSPIRING SPECTACLE.

OVER FORTY WARSHIPS. LINE UPON LINE. (By Telegraph.— i'ress Association.) WELLINGTON. Sunday. On Saturday Wellington Harbour presented an inspiring spectacle, with line after line of grey battleships and the squadrons of destroyers from Dunedin and Lyttelton. There were also light cruisers from Pipitea wharf, where the flagship Seattle and the battleships Pennsylvania and Richmond lay, to Eastbourne, on the eastern side of the harbour. Over forty handsome vessels of the United States Navy rode at anchor. Their presence did not in the least discommode the ordinary ferry and steamer traffic of the harbour. The ships lay in semi-circular formation, towards the Petone side of the harbour, so that the fairway was quite clear. Another fifty vessels could have been accommodated without interfering with the passage of other vessels. All day launches shot to and from the vessels and wharves, while thousands of bluejackets and marines landed in the ships' launches. Thousands of civilians made the journey to the vessels. Light cruisers and destroyers, in turn, nestled up to the mother ships, received supplies, went astern and took up their positions in line. It was all done so expeditiously as to afford ample testimony of the efficiency of the visiting naval men in this respect. During the afternoon the harbour presented a unique spectacle, nearly half a hundred grim, grey vessels, riding peacefully at anchor. *The city wharves were crowded with battleships, Home and foreign steamers, and the surface of the water was churned into foam by dozens of motor launches scurrying to and fro. A most impressive search" light display was given in the evening. The Admiral's Ball on Saturday ni°-lit was a great social success. °