THE WARREGO

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 154, 29 June 1912, Page 16

THE WARREGO

1 — » ARTIFICERS AND JACK TARS ON A DESTROYER. •* There was nearly a tragic end to the destroyer Warrego's maiden voyage, Sydney io Melbourne, just as she swung in from the bay, and made for the Williamßtown Wharf on the 11th inst. A couple of Jack Tars from the Parramatta ran out with lanterns to define the edge of the pier. One of them continued running after he reached the end, and promptly disappeared ia the ice. cold water of Port Phillip. He was clad in a great coat, but luckily he swam to safety. The trip to Melbourne (wrote the special correspondent of the Sydney Herald) divides itself naturally into two parts. The first, between Sydney and Jervis Bay, saw the War^rego performing something like a buck jumper, and is remembered like a hideous nightmare. Th© second, from Jervk Bay to Melbourne, witnessed the destroyer on her very best oehaviour. The- sea moderated, the pace slackened ; and with a helpful northerly behind, the little warship skimmed along beautifully. It was during this gracious, second phasa that one was able to really take stock of the Warrego. When she was launched at Cockatoo Island about 50,000 people turned up to view the ceremony and cheer this latest addition to the fighting forces of the Empire. When she was commissioned a few days ago only about a dozen people besides those directly connected with the 'ceremony attended, but when she crept steadily out of Port Jackson on her maiden trip it is probable that the lookout man at the South Head signal station was the only one to mark the low grey hull of the new destroyer dimly outlined against the murky sky. There may come a time some dread day when the Warrego and her consorts will sally forth in the same way with the fate of the nation in their keeping. TRIUMPH OF OIL. What first strikes the eye of the landsman is the long raking hull of the Warrego, 245 ft from stem to stern, and yet with a beam of only 24ft 6in, and a draught of barely Bft. No wonder she can travel as fast as a railway train. Then, there are the turbines, and the oil fuel, which has at last challenged the supremacy of "king coal." Seveneighths of the warship is devoted to engin© space. There are 30 men all told to run the engines. First there is En-gineer-lieutenant Hogan, a young Tasmanian with a big experience; then, there are four engine-room artificers, one chief etoker, seven stokers, petty ofEoers7 three leading stokers, and 14 stokers. If coal were used there would bu 46 stokers instead of 26 needed to attend to the oi 1 fuel. Then, again, it would take six hours to coal, while now the oil tanks can be replenished in thirty minutes. Once full, the Warrego can travel 2500 miles at 14 knots, a grotty fair run for a 700-ton vesseL z '. Going below to the furnaces we passed through one door and then descended by a trapdoor. In front of the furnaces three men in heavy woollen tTO users were stoking a huge pump, which sprayed the oil into the furnaces. By the aid of a smoked glass, such as is used to detect an eclipse of the sun, the Interior of the furnaces could be plainly seen. Cascades of flame were squirted into what seemed an inferno, and the roaring was like nothing else on land or sea. "If a shell struck the Warrego," vouchsafed the engineer^ "all the men here would be doomed.'' On either side were the thin steel sides of the ship. A shell would perforate it like cardboard. Everything is sacrificed to pace. A stoker lifted a little plate, and the hull was visible. Six inches lower down one thin sheet of metal lay between us and the Pacific. Down another manhole we found the artificers surrounded by a wild maze of black anil white tubes. On ©very side were dials, scores of tham, peering and blinking like white clock faces wiijh single hands and curious numerals. To the intruder they are like -jo Egyptian hieroglyphics, but to the engineers and artificers they were an open book, telling the work that each separate unit in that homogeneous mass of machinery was performing. Tne thermometer, 'alone intelligible to the landsman/recorded a temperature of 120 degrees—just about the summer temperature of tit at strip of Queensland country where runts the river that gives its name j to the destroyer. ' i DEADLY TORPEDOES. There are only four guns on the Warrego; one 4-inch quick-firing and three I'2-pounder quick-firing. Against small boats or infantry ashore, they might do some excellent execution, but against battleships they would be hopeless. So the destroyer relies on her -three deadly torpedoes. These are of the latest pattern. Although some new torpedoes «in be successfully launched on their mission of destruction against an enomy 12,000 yards off, the Warrego's-forpedoes, however, can strike 5000 yards away. Mr. Pix is the gunner on the Warrego, and this officer has had experience on destroyers and submarines Before joining the Royal Australian Navy. Destroyers are destined to play a big part in future warfare. The combined navies, of the world possess about 800 , Britain claiming about 200 of them. They ar«s the fastest warships afloat ; the Tartar having a record of 40 knots to its credit, - and the Swift a performance of 38 knots. The average battleship only steams about 20 knots, and the fastest only 23 knots", but, although in the fleet manoeuvres the destroyers have achieved wonders, they have not done much ia actual war. In the Russo-Japanese War they gained some laurels, but their triumph is yet to come, unless mayhap the submarine and the hydroplane Bound their death-knell. , AUSTRALIAN TARS. When,-Tn the morning, the crew assembled, and Lieutenant Cayaye read prayers, one could better estimate what type of sailors were manning the Australian destroyers. Of the complement of 68, a stiffening of 12 came from the Royal Navy. The rest were Australian, and right here is wheis the Warrego must for soute time bo handicapped, for the bulk of the crew ar& not seamen, and have never been to sea before. On an English destroyer all the men are trained seamen, having passed their apprenticeship. But on the Warrego it is different. , This was evidenced when they were pjaced hors de combat in the first bout with the elements. It was further proved when a boat was lowered to land the coxswain at Jervis Bay. It was obvious in many little ways, but the Australian tar is quicker ta learn, and natuTally of a more* ready intelligence; ec-his probationary period Bhould be short. Then his natural aptitude and quickness, and his interested seamanship ■ should make him the finest fighting sailor in the The "Mediaeval Town Series," already a handsome and valuable library,, has been enriched by the addition of "The Story of Avignon," by Thomas Okey, with illustrations by Percy Wadham (E. 'P. Dutfcon and Co.). It would be hard to speak too warmly of a series distinguished not only by literary merit, but by v ripe historical scholarship. Almost without exception, the«e -volumes read like novels. Eepoits sho.v a greatly increased death iau> from throat pievalonce ami lung troulilfs. due to the prevalence oi cioup, pneumonia and influenza. We advise the, uf=e of Chamberlain's Coujjh, Remedy in all these difficulties.— Advt.