FORT SEARCHLIGHTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 733, 4 February 1910, Page 5

FORT SEARCHLIGHTS.

CONSTEENATXON DOWN SOUTH. PEOJECTOES TAKEN iWAT. (By - Telegraph.—Special ■ ■<■-■>.- Christchurch, February 3. - ■" The ; receipt',' by?; the'; Christchurch -; and';; v Dunedin - branches ,:of ;therDe'ence ; ; De*; ;; ■ partment 'of peremptory. instructions" to remove; the: searchlights, which are. a very;;;' important factor ?, in;;; harbour ~ .defence ■; from Lyttelton axid' Danedin to Welling-;' ton 'and' Auckland .'has created something'' ;, like iconsternationi in,-yolunteer'. circles.;' here and'.'in the' 'southernjcity. -,;The. d©',,V. fence. authorities" in Christchuroh • have \ no ■ knowledge -: of. the.. reason's ~that 'hav«;i. ' induced the. /Defence. Office' 'in',.Welling.''.;;, ton' to issue/the; order,: andtinquiries; or.Sv, the'-siibject .'elicited a,.consensus, of;. opin«,;:; ion that the removal of, so' valuable, au adjunot to ,-the. defenceof-; the' port : oii:.! Lyttelton' was.'.a mistake of the gravest character.. Apart from the danger ol leaving ''the - port ■"in; such';, a., state, ,!the y. men -of the Naval Artilleryconld not, . possibly do their .wort, in; the .forta, without the aid of lights. .. . It /.was . pointed;- out. to a reporter who made that , ;one > : of -the.: most ? important: - features of .the inspection ... which-Lord.Kitchener would.make of the . port defences; during .his visit would- bo ' the illustration given by the 'Naval Artillery as .'to tho way in which they , would go to,;wbrk; in-. case. .a i hostile - cruiser, paid. . a visit, to .; Lyttelton.;This • demonstration .would,; in -.alii probability, ,be in; the' -.. shape ,of- a night., attack, 'and, of ooursej' •: without - the searohlights -to locate : the. position of 'the enemy, the men could do no effective work.. . v;.

. It- was further v jioihted out that the men of the two' divisions' of Naval. Artil-. lery/' in Lyttelton; and the! Naval Cadets devoted- a'.yerylargo amount: of' time, to making' themselves.:efficient... No.-': 1 Division ,had>> by 'dint-of 'hard practice, suoi, ceeded in'' getting. into-the ,first class for ■their gun Mvork,. and No.;, 2 ! also" would: have scored a: world's record had it nol been, for an acoident. ■ ; ' To■' find them- ; selves thus suddenly'deprived,- without any apparent reason," of 'one of the most jmportant adjuncts ..to. the work of mak* ing 'themselves: efficient.; for -the ■ deferiot of • Lyttelton is most disheartening.. ■■. -• There .is a" strong;' feeling.' amongst those interested ih defence! that the people ol Canterbury ■ should: take . the i.matter; ■ up, and: protest ; to - the {Defence' Department a(; Wellington against the, removalof the' searchlights. .