GALA DAY TO-DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 106, 6 May 1924, Page 8

GALA DAY TO-DAY

•iANNIVERP.ARY OF ACCESSION

TO THRONE

WONDERLAND FOR THE YOUNGS HLRS.

.... j:f. To-dayi is: a gala.;,day on board "-.the. ;-tig ships, for this:is'the'.fonrteenth.a'nni r l^yersaryof: the-King's Accession to the- . .jThrone,.and:at.noon a Rpyal.-salute of'2l' Iguns^rpared jout *fiom';;the flagship, the ykdelaide, and Jthe Chatham, and the fMount' Coolc!inHitary .barracks: y All four ; jjships-T-Hqod, ; Repulse,, Adelaide, \ : - and are decked' but in holiday col- : jours, the big boaf,; below decks as well : r|»s above, for tho special 'entertainment .-■■ 'iof invitation 'visitors. : :■ " ' '' "' ' '.' SfTho officers of the Repulse are-enter-s*. Twining some of lucky children . jtbis.afternoon in the'-.ship's Wonderland, ; ;:and the men.of tile Hood are holding a '■"'•'quieter at home ;to the many friends I ■"'. ifhey have made in Wellington. The V Repulse rihyher ordinary, walk of. life is Ja fighting machine pure and simple, ;but .; 3k)-day. she" has Hepped.from.;the long v'Sipadof routine duties, and is, from the '. ;|>oint of,:view': of .everyone of .the -lucky . (youngsters,on board, and likewise to the ■ .jMults invited- along to help look '■■- after'l i:\]&em;;sWeliington's..leading place «f\enV jgrfainment. ;.TheVe. are slides for life, , v»\spinning mushroom, a gay round-about . pumb, LTinderneathVthe:-15-inch. guns aft, „ a} ;tnril]ingFerri's wheel, a/tremendous ,}ot to stand beforts pop-eyed,'ship's band Snusic to." listen to, sailors- ; to talk to, ".aHmirals, .vice-admirals, 'rear-admirals '"Jiy the dozen—^so it: probably'appears :to :.; -youngsters -''not quite:vs_ure"of the finer «Ustinctiohs of gold braidings—tarid: cake : aoid , various coloured pops and "fizzes, to •. ; fee had between ■'excitements -and.; looks and talks.;' :A-very*Av6nderful afternoon' ,'for. everyone concerned." ' '-'■"' / ' ■■• ■ iS;Members of the; crews-of the Chat^ . Ram"and Adelaide^ are also-gueSts;upon Jie big ships, and, as far as the younger members of those boats are concerned, at any rate, are just as keenly 'inter- - '. ested in what: is' to ;be" seen As the most ■ jnbberly.; of land- lubbers, very much: cbre'so when it comes* to/technical mattfrs, inside the wonderful gun turrets, V-ipanned: in action by a crew of 78; first and last, or high above deck'in the- -. Ighting-.topj or in/lthe.. electrical intrica-' : cJcs of ,the armoured conning tower;'but „ not all visitors, of .course, are^privileg-, ■.-- eel to ".that extent. Those'wh'o'are privi'■'."igged still furtherrand have with them an ... . expert guide,: either coinmissipned offi-. Sr, "petty officer,; leadiiis; seaman, :'gun-~ • . nsi;' ■.'or "what' not, ' are"led still ■ further ijito wonderfully interesting ship myster- '.'..; ies, imprpvementß,:and ideas that sprang, from the experience- of Jutland,. the finer ■ joints of gun control, whispers of deeper /mysteries again, very deep'to the unini- ", trated, >but~ merely part .of- the - daily '■':. rjsund to' every big ship sailor' nian. Of .'.'- the- stilly 'deeper (mysteries, and th<>re' : must-.bevvery..many : .-of them, ,theUvisito^s hears no whisper and, hearing' noth- ' ffifc, asks^n'pJ.queEtiqEs:.. .-. :''.;.,."., •■■,.';'.■ *j.There are, lsvinch shells on Ishow** on deck, tveighing-iatpnost 'a ton apiece; op . t'Je.Hpod ther,e:;is a.'torpedp coiiyeniently,: apart to show the works, " the ; ejgine-foom," as^the-: third---section :is ' s|yled, small .;guns.}" are tTainei'v oVer . the shipr,. in -short: are making: a : tic'liday'of it. ; "i- .:<; ,v: .;.;■ -V;.-'-:.■■;■-■■.*-.. v.