QUEEN ON WAY TO PANAMA

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27210, 30 November 1953, Page 11

QUEEN ON WAY TO PANAMA

Short Voyage From Jamaica

[Fror» Reuter’s correspondent aboard the Gothic)

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, November 28. With the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh aboard, the Gothic today ploughs south across the famous Spanish Main towards Panama, taking the Royal couple to the Pacific stage of their world tour. The Royal party will arrive at Cristobal, on the Atlantic side of the Panama canal, tomorrow. Then will come the longest single ocean lap of their tour so far—more than 6000 miles across the southern Pacific to Suva.

Crowds lining the water’s edge of the former pirate haunt, Port Royal, waved handkerchiefs and cheered a» the Gothic left Jamaica yesterday. Yachts of the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club gave a sail past, with flags and pennons flying, and the flags decking the Gothic and the escorting cruiser Sheffield added more splashes of colour to the brilliant farewell scene.

The Queen and |he Duke had tea after boarding the Gothic at Port Royal, then went on deck to watch the vessel leave the anchorage. They retired early on their first night at sea. Today the Gothic is steaming into a typical long Caribbean swell at 15 knots, rolling easily in a sea described in the log as "moderately rough.” The escort cruiser Sheffield is three-quar-ters of a mile shead. After the first strenuous days 6 ’of the tour, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh rested in their apartments and private deck aft in the Gothic. They had lunch today in the Royal diningroom, forward on the starboard side. During the morning the blue sky cloudeff over, and before lunch a fresh breeze and thundery rain showers whipped white caps on the crests of the swell. The Gothic’s position at noon today was 281 miles from Kingston and 259 miles from Colon, which will be reached early tomorrow morning. Awnings have been rigged over the Gothic’s decks as a protection against the tropical sun. A carefully-timed programme arranged for the Queen will keep her busy from the moment she leaves lhe ship at Cristobal early tomorrow to midnight, when she will return to the Gothic at Balboa, at the Pacific end of the canal.

Queen’s Messages The Queen sent messages to Jamaica after her departure, thanking the Governor and the island for the welcome given her and the hospitality shown herself and the Duke during their stay. The message to the Governor said: “We shall never forget our first journey through your beautiful countryside, nor our stay in your capital, which we look forward to visiting in the future.”

The Governor, in reply, said: “I am sure that In living memory there has never. been so much happiness in Jamaica as during the last three days. That happiness came from the radiance of Her Majesty’s_ gracious personality. and from the charm nnd sympathy which Her Majesty and His Royal Highness showed toward the people of Jamaica.” Jamaicans bade a sad, reluctant fareweir to the Queen yesterday as the Royal liner put out to sea. As the Gothic gathered way, hundreds of voices caught up the words of the special calypso which had been prepared in the Queen's honour. The sea was calm and blue, but the sky was overcast. Before boarding the ship the Queen inspected a guard of honour. Investiture at Kingston The Queen held her first investiture outside Britain yesterday, a few hours before * she Was to step aboard the Gothic. The Queen conferred honours on a number of Jamaicans in the cool, spacious chapel of the ancient Bishop's Palace, Kingston. Among those at the ceremony was a former police constable, 28-year-old Clarence Johnson, who received the King’s Commendation for his brave conduct in helping to rescue 30 people marooned on an island during Jamaica’s floods in October, 1950. The first of 12 men and two women to be invested was Sir Kenneth Kennedy O’Cohnor. Chief' Justice of Jamaica, who was made a Knight Bachelor in the 1952 Birthday Honours, The Duke did not accompany the Queen, who wore a lemon silk patterned frock with short sleeves and a V-neck. She was hatless and did not wear gloves. Because of heavy tropical showers, the Duke decided not to play in a polo match in which he was due to take part at Up Park Camp, Kingston, today. Sir Hugh Foot, the Governor of Jamaica, also decided not to play in the match, which the Queen was to have watched. As the rain persisted it was announced that the match would have to be cancelled.

The news was a disappointment to thousands of spectators who had braved a series of heavy showers in the hope of seeing the Duke in action on ponies provided by local polo enthusiasts. They had waited patiently in open stands trying to shelter under umbrellas and newspapers. The cancellation of the match gave the Duke an opportunity for a morning rest.