TWO SQUADRONS

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 205, 31 August 1933, Page 8

TWO SQUADRONS

WARSHIPS IN PORT. PICTURESQUE SCENE. AUSTRALIA'S BIG CRUI3ERS. A WEEK IN AUCKLAND. Four grey fighting ships, representing the naval strength of Australia and New Zealand, came noiselessly into port this morning. They arrived before the harbour was properly awake, their coming coinciding with the birth of a perfect spring daj'. Not a single gun barked to disturb the early morning stillness, and even the glassy surface of the water remained unbroken as the four lean hulls, like slowly-moving silver shadows, passed along their way. The ships were due at seven o'clock, •and they arrived on the tick of time. New Zealand's fleetest seaplane, accom--panicd by two Australian flying boats, provided an aerial escort, their engines •purring a soft song of welcome. Watchers on the cliff tops in Parnell Park saw the grey ships come, speculated as to the meaning of the flag signals run up on the leader, and heard a bugle call. Canberra Shows the Way. The morning mists liad not all dispersed when the ships came up Rangitoto Channel, but the day was brilliantly clear when they turned slowly into line, to enter the harbour proper, sunlit and still asleep. His Majesty's Australian ship Canberra, flagship of .Rear-Admiral R. C. Dalglish, led the •way. A flush-decked ship, with high, •rakish masts and three funnels, she appeared a giant in comparison with the out-of-commission freighters which rode motionless iu llobson Bay. Close behind •the Canberra, came H.M.A.S. Australia, commanded by Captain W. S. F. Macleod, to all appearances a twin sister of the leader. The Canberra and the Australia comprised the visiting Australian Squadron, which last week combined with the New Zealand cruisers in exercises off the northern coast before putting into Russell for sailing and pulling l)oat competitions with, the'"Dominion .vessels.

' In the wake of the Commonwealth cruisers followed ILM.s. Dunedin, flagship of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, flying the broad pennant of Commodore P. Burges Watson, and H.M.6. Diomede, commanded by Captain Cosmo Graham. The Dominion vessels Showed up much smaller than 'their guests from across the Tasman, to Which had been- extended the courtesy of leading: the combined squadrons in from sea. ... , Abreast of the naval base tlic Canberra .was, ijiet <by the tug Te Awliina, iwhicli wheeled about and steamed alongside as the cruiser turned slowly to go to her berth at the Central wharf. As the warship moved in to the wharf the jug nestled in and assisted the visitor to come alongside. By half-past seven the Canberra, was securely tied up, a squad'.of -bluejackets were swinging along the wharf in the charge of a junior officer, and an interested crowd •was pressed against the wharf gates. H.M.A.S. Australia followed her sister up harbour and dropped anchor off Stanley Point. Dominion Cruisers Berth. New Zealand's cruisers went to their usual berth at Devonport. The Dunedin broke out of line soon after the four cruisers had straightened up for their entry into the harbour and steamed direct to the Sheerlegs wharf. The Diomede followed her sister, but lingered tor a time off the Devonport wharf. When the flagship had berthed, the Diomede slipped in alongside her, being assisted in making fast by the Te Awhina, which had raced across the harbour. after she was no longer wanted in connection with the berthing of the Canberra. _ r . , ' The trip from Russell to Auckland was made in calm weather. Off Cape Brett last evening the searchlights of the four cruisers traced weird figures in the darkness, and star shells made the night into day. During the exercises the men 011 1 all ships were at night action stations. . This morning the cruisers were met by the Government Fairey lII.F. seaplane 1 and the two Australian flying boats which came down from Russell yesterday afternoon, the machines co-operating H3 a dawn reconnaissance patrol. I "Treaty" Cruisers. 1 1 ■ Commissioned in. 1925, tho Canberra ] and Australia are sister ships, and are j officially known as 10,000-ton Washing- ] ton Treaty cruisers. They were built by ( John Brown and Co. on the Clyde and the cost of eacli was in the vicinity of two and a half million. The cruisers carry eight Sin guns, four 4in anti- * aircraft guns and eight 21in torpedo tubes. Burning oil fuel, they have a 1 ] jaximum speed of 32i knots, although, 1 t jf course, tho normal cruising and most tponomical speed is a long way below 1 that figure. Each ship carries a Seagull 1 mphibian flying boat, which is used «■ c jiiefly for reconnaisance purposes. All told, the number of men on each ship is about 700. ( . -Tlie visitor to the Australian cruisers 1 i-j at once struck by the general roomi- ] Hiss and appearance of comfort on board, < i'.yid the officers confirm the opinion that ' iU/jthese respects the ships are a long 1 jHSKy ahead of pre-war vessels."