STARTING OUT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1927, Page 18

STARTING OUT

ROYALTY ABOARD RENOWN

THE CREW'S GREAT WELCOME

When tho Duke and Duchess of York reached Portsmouth on Oth January, prior to sailing for New Zealand, the -Royal couple received a most enthusiastic welcome.from the crew of tho Renown. The appearance of the Royal party was tho signal for a wonderful outburst of palpitating vitality. Silver bugles were sounded by eight buglers of the Royal Marines stationed on the after turret gun deck on tho port side of the suite of cabins set apart for the Duke and Duchess; and there came, in romantic antiphon, an answering burst from, eight other buglers perched aloft on the high platform of the after funnel. Simultaneously tho ship's company "manned ship" in line; as one man, more than a thousand sprang into position on quarter-deck, gun-carriage decks, spar deck, and upper; deck; and few spaces on decks or turrets along the whole extent, of the port side remained unoccupied either by sailors or marines. Tho celerity and precision with which the movement was executed was a marvellous demonstration of what training in the British Navy achieves.

A Royal salute of twenty-one guns roared out from warships in port and from tho naval battery at the fort blockhouse; and petty officers, performing one of tho most characteristic of the Navy's historic customs, piped' Their Royal Highnesses on bo£.rd, % and at the precise moment that hia foot touched the deck a seaman clinging on to the most dizzy eminence oi the mainmast "broke" the Duke's Standard.

In this manner tho King's sou and his wife went aboard the Renown to start one of the most momentous voyages undertaken during pur times,

a short distance. The water lino is painted tho darker grey of the service instead of black.

What is known us tlio fo'c'slo dock a battleship runs from tho bows to Iwo-thirds of tho distance to tho stern. Stops from the aft. of this dock load down to tho quarter-deck, which extends to tho stern of tho ship. At this aft end of the fo'c'sle deck, and behind tho roar mast, is tho dock liousb which in ordinary times contains tho caplain's or admiral's cabins, and those of the senior officers. It is this part of tho Renown which has been fitted up as the Royal apartments. It should bo clearly understood that specially fit ted accommodation on a warship can never bo as comfortablo as that on board a luxury liner, and tho Duke and Duchess aro making a sacrifice in taking this tour in a warship. Out from the deck house on tho starboard side thero is a froe space on deck about 50ft in length. This is availablo for tho Royal, party. But on tho top of the deck 'house and immediately overlooking the quarter deck there is another space.which is being used as a "winter gardens" or outside lounge. At ordinary' times this .space is, occupied by small "calibre triplo aircraft guns. On the upper deck further forward on the port sido a square wooden house has boon erected for squash rackots, a favourite pastimo of tho Duke's. Tho quarter deck is also being used by tho Royal party for. recreational purposes, and also for dancing. In tho deck house nearest to tho stern is tho lounge, a compartment in the form of an equilateral trianglo, with the top cut off. .'This is furnished with several settees and with many armchairs, writing desks, a bookcase, a sideboard, cabinet gramophone, and a wireless set. At one side is a coal fireplace. The curtains aro of a dull blue casement cloth, all the chairs and sottoes are covered with blue chintz, and the carpet is mole coloured. It is a comfortablo room with a fine outlook from three sides. ' The framed pictures in tho walls aro mainly prints of old clippers, but there is one illustrating the incident, of Captain Cook taking possession of the Australian Continent. All the equipment of this and other rooms of the suite has been drawn from the officers' stores of tho dockyard. It consists of tho neat bureaux, tables and chairs in walnut and mahogany that may be seen on any warship. The only pieces of furniture unusual on board are a number of bevelled mirrors and dressing tables, which have been specially made by • naval vocational training classes, which consist of men about to leave the service, who are being taught various trades to fit them for civil life in tho Dominions. THE DINING-BOOM. Soming out of the lounge one enters tho dining saloon, which extends from ono sido of tho deck house to the other, and is thus lighted from both ends. The carpet in this room is of a dark colour, and tho furnishings are plain. The finely polished tablo can be extended tho whole width of the room, and will thus bo capable of seating about forty guests. In this room there is a selection of coloured aquatints, portraying events in tho history of Australia, and four views of Sydney published in 1810. Those prints and those in the lounge have been, lent by

bo hung. All tho malo staff and the special servants iind accommodation in cabins on a lower dock.

It is. interesting to note that 900 Irish linon towels used by Queen Alexandra on her Royal yacht havo been sontto tho Renown. Blankots of rare quality and sheets havo come from tho samo source. Tho Duke and Duchess havo two other cabins reserved for them on tho bridge, for Use when passing through tho tropics. These cabins aro apqcially cooled, and they aro much smaller than the cabins reserved for them aft.

THE LIBRARY AND MUSIC. A number of Now Zealand books woro sent by tho High Commissioner lor the library. These arc: "Old New Zealand," by Judgo Mailing; "John Rutherford"; "Glimpses of New Zealand Scenery," and "Brown Bread," by Bessis Baughau; "Gamo Animals of New Zealand," by T. E. Donne; "Tho Long White Cloud," by tho Hon. W Pember Hooves; < "England and New Zealand,", by Harrop; "Tho Empire's Junior Partner," by C. A. Wilson; "Nature in New Zealand," by Button and Drummond; "The Angler's Eldorado" by Zano Grey; "The Maori as Ho Was," by Elsdon Best; and "Polynesian Mythology," by. Grey. Musis will be provided by thirty-six-bandsmen selected from tho Royal Naval College of Music. They have string and brass instruments, and eleven of them are specialists iv iazz music. Hon. Lieut. Bragnell is in command of the band. Fourteen buglers will also be of the ship's company Six memorial silver bugles belonging to the Royal Marines have been lent to tho ship, and these will be used, on all ceremonial occasions. At sunset each evening an old custom will bo revived Instead of two or three bugles soun'dintr the drums and fifes will play a brief selection. Probably during the whole of the voyage the Renown will bo able to pick up -wireless concerts. But additional music may be obtained from an electric piano in the dining-saloon. ROYAL MARINES. At ordinary times the number of Royal Marines on board is about a hun dred. .A guard .is to bo provided for the Royal pair throughout tho voyage and this has' necessitated, augmenting tho Royal Marines to 150 men. The sentries will wear rubber shoes at night time. Corporal Hunt, who was orderly to tho Prince of Wales on his last tour, will also be orderly to the Duke The Royal Marines have provided the hairdresser for the ladies of the party This is Marine Uden, barber of Chatham Barracks, who has received a month's tuition with tho Court hairdresser to fit him for his duties Tho redecoration of the Chapel in the stern of the Reuown has been well carried out. Copies of Italian paintinr adorn tho tiny sanctuary, and the chapel has been panelled all round. On one side a picture of St. Nicolas the seamen's patron saint, is placed with a small Renown painted at his feet. J.here is a diminutive "Royal new" with light blue hassocks. TRIPS AND HOSPITALITY. Throe steam launches arc beiii" carried on board. Two of these are picket boats and the'other is a special barge which is being reserved, for the Duke

tho term "New Zealand" is used to include Australia, as "Australia" is so often used to include Now Zealand. Much of tho table equipment has been lent from tho Royal yacht, but the Duko sent a quantity of'plato and ornaments from Whito Lodge,.including tho very handsomo set of wine coolers which wore a wedding present to himself and tho Duchess from Australia.