THE WELLINGTON NAVALS AT MAHANGA BAY.

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 5, 7 January 1898, Page 5

THE WELLINGTON NAVALS AT MAHANGA BAY.

The Commandant of the Forces has intimated his intention of attending the Wellington Naval Camp at Mahanga Bay for one of the three weeks during which the company will be under canvas. The Permanent Artillery will go into camp at Scorching Bay on the same day (15th inst.), > and the men of both companies will drill together. The examination of the Navals for Government gratuit}' and badge will be divided into two parts — viz., (1) drill and questions at the guns, and (2) efficiency at station practice. The examinations will commence at the beginning of the second week and conclude with the station practice. On Wednesday next there will be practice at a Hongkong target towed by the Ellen Ballance. The posts assigned to the officers are as follows :—: — Major Messenger, Fire Commander, Kau Point Central Station ; Capt.-Com. Duncan, Battery Commander, Fort Ballance (when Major Messenger is away he will act as Fire Commander at Kau Point) ; Commander Davy, Battery Commander, Point Halswell ; Lieut. - Com. Campbell, Battery Commander, Fort Gordon ; Lieut. 8011, Range Group Commander, 7-incli gun*, Fort Ballance (also to do duties of Battery Commander in addition when Capt.-Com. Duncan is absent); Lieut. Cooper, Battery Commander, Kau Point; Lieut. Biss, Range Group Commander, 6-inch guns, Fort Ballance. In the competition for efficiency badges which is to be held in connection with the Wellington Naval encampment, the greatest number of points will be awarded to the squad which gets the most accurate shooting and fires all its ammunition within the given time. The main object of artillery being to hit, the most credit will be awarded for accuracy in shooting and rapidity. The umpires will be Major Messenger, CaptainCom. Duncan, and Master Gunner Richardson, R.A.