RENOWN CROSSES THE LINE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18917, 4 February 1927, Page 11

RENOWN CROSSES THE LINE.

—« NEPTUNE'S REVELS. DIKE GETS A DUCKING. ,ST CiBLI—FRE?S ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (ACSIaAJJAH AND S.Z. CAULS ASSOCIATION.) SYDNEY, February 3. ■'■ -virelcss message from the Renown stales that Neptune's revels having always been the right of the lower deck, tho ship's company took full advantage of their privilege and swarmed over everv point of vantage, watching gleefully every item of the proceedings from the time Neptune anil his consort boarded till the last novice had been initiated. Neptune, boarded at nine o'clock and held court on the quarter-deck, surrounded by his consort, Amphitrite, barbers, bears, and doctors. He harangued tho captain, the Duke and Duchess of York, and otherß on tho importance of the occasion. Ho refused to accept the Duke of York's initiation aboard tho liner as in order, and requested him to undergo it again, investing him at tho same time with the order of "Old Sea Dog." A merry time followed, when the Duchess was invested by Amphitrite with the order of "Golden Mermaid." Other members of tho Duko of York's staff were likewise decorated. The Earl of Cavan was made a "General of Horse Marines," and Mr Harry Batterbee a "Flattened Kipper." Several members of the ship's company were variously honoured. On adjourning forward, the initiation ceremonies proceeded with dispatch, the Duchess and the ladios being excused on tho intercession of Amphitrite, and they wero merely sprinkled with sea water.

The first to be ducked wero the Duko and Captain Sullivan, who wero then presented with tho order of the "Skipped Sardine." Both wero faithfully dealt with and vigorously ducked, to the bears' accompaniment of roars of delight. They wero quickly followed by the whole ship's company, from the commander downwards. The commander's appearance was tho signal for cries of "Give him moro" from his delighted Bailors. Tho fun increased apace, four novices being expeditiously treated at once. The acme of tho- day's enjoyment was reached when, at the request of tho Duke, the niainbraco was spliced and a tot of rum served to tho whole company. After a strenuous morning tho Boyal Party joined tho officers in the wardroom for a belated breakfast.