DUKE'S SHIP AT GIBRALTAR

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21256, 30 August 1934, Page 9

DUKE'S SHIP AT GIBRALTAR

Voyage of H.M.S. Sussex * ENTHUSIASTIC CREW | UWIiELt ASSUCIAIIUK—if.L.I'. i UIC j telxg aA.ru—cop ruroCr.) (Received August 29, 5.5 p.m.) GIBRALTAR, August 28. "Good-bye, Sussex. Good luck,' has been signalled dozens of times since H'.M.S. Sussex, which is to take the Duke of Gloucester to Australia, left Sheerness in a blaze of summer brilliance which was unbroken all the way here, where the finishing' touches will be imparted during the next seven days for the g royal embarkation at Marseilles on September 5. j The royal barge, resplendent in royal blue and grey, is tucked away y on the starboard side of the main f deck in readiness for the Duke of * Gloucester to start his tour, and the ship's company is so enthusiastic to r ensure that the first episode will £ be impressive that the Sussex r could have been commissioned three , times over, so numerous were the volunteers for this memorable undertaking, for which the whole ship is keyed up to the highest pitch. | Captain S. S. Bonham-Carter. ( D.5.0., has a splendid personnel, while the Sussex herself is the possensor of efficiency trophies which will show the Australian Fleet the traditions of the British Navy at ' their best. Present plans, dependent on the i weather, are for an anchorage out- , side the moles at Marseilles. The Duke and his staff will come off at 9.30 a.m. incognito. : The ceremonial will be delayed i : til] H.M.S. Sussex is outside thel territorial limit, when the Duke's j standard will be broken at the mast- | head, a royal salute fired, and the j | j Union Jack run up. A guard of f honour, mounted on the quarter-; , deck, will be inspected, after which j I there will be an inspection of the I | ship. I The Duke of Gloucester will i \ occupy the captain's quarters, in whicli is hung a collection of dainty ; ! water-colours acquired by the Duke j on his recent visit to Belfast. The j quarters are simply furnished with ; an eye to comfort—a tribute to Mrs j Bonham-Carter's good taste. j The ship is already in direct j touch with Australia, and news i bulletins from there are being circulated daily. They are eagerly scanned, especially for references to j the centenary celebrations. J i Exciting Incident The first exciting incident of the trip occurred at II o'clock last night, when the liner Strathaird relayed an SOS message sent out by the Spanish freighter Flora, which was in distress five miles north of Cape St. Vincent. t ! The Sussex, which had been j | leisurely steaming to make Gibralj tar early in the morning, swung round and speeded for a couple of hours at 20 knots, to succour the flora, but Cadiz advised that the Flora was beached and awa=h at Cape St. Vincent. The Strathaird wirelessed that there was no sign of the Flora's boats and H.M.S. Sussex resumed her trip to Gibral- j tar. ' J I the Order of the Seraphim, the higlij est distinction that can be granted to a foreigner. As he desired to acquire a first-hand knowledge of industrial conditions and administration, it was arranged in 1932 that he should accompany factory inspectors of the Home Office on their ; visits. He was still attached to the Home Office in 1934. and acted as a factory inspector. His visits were not announced beforehand. On one occasion he completed an inspection without his identity being discovered, much to the annoyance of the head of the business, who had deputed a subordinate to show him round. In Januarj-, 1934. he left England on I a 4000-mile toiir of South Africa, durI ing which he was promoted commander. From Cape Town, where he ' had had an enthusiastic reception, he set out in February in a special train which carried two motor-cars and had accommodation for journalists and a dark-room for photographers. During his visit he climbed Table Mountain, went down a gold mine at Johannesburg, and a copper mine in North Rhodesia. and exchanged gifts with the Bechuanaland chief Tshekedi, who had been suspended for having a white man Housed, but was reinstated. The Zulus requested that the Prince should be made the next Governor-General of South Africa. After leaving the Union he visited the Belgian Congo. He reached England on April 23. A week later it was announced that he would not go to Australia and New Zealand in the autumn, as had been planned, since it was feared that a second tour of six months would be too great a strain after his long journey in South Africa. The Duke of Gloucester was to take his place. Prince George is more like his father than the other princes. He is a close rival to the Prince of Wales in charm of manner, and is fond of sport and society. While in the navy he was well liked, for he never attempted to evade duties on the score of his! rank or poor health. Far the best dancer in the Royal family, he once won a dance competition at Cannes. His identity was kept secret and the judges did not recognise him. A good pianist, he can accompany dancing and play from memory selections from musical comedies and revues. He was a very frequent at,tender at the Russian Ballet, but does not care for classical concerts. Fond of films, he i visited Douglas Fairbanks and Mary j Pickford at Hollywood when his ship j was off the Californian coast. He is I not fond of making speeches, but when he does so he prepares his own material, and he keeps himself informed . on public affairs by a close study of the newspapers. Given the Order of the Garter on his twenty-lirst birthday, he was made , a Freeman of the City of London in i 1924. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S . MESSAGE : .NEW ZEALAND'S CONGRATI LA- ; 'HONS ipitk-sa ASSOCIATION 'ittLi.Gu.AM.; ' WELLINGTON, August 29. ; His Excellency the Governori General, Lord Bledisloe, has sent : the following message to Prince j George:— "New Zealand sends your Koyai j Highness the warmest congratu- , lations and best_ wishes for your i happjnf'.s? i .-"Bl®di«loe.*' ..