CRUISE IN PACIFIC

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 13 September 1928, Page 8

CRUISE IN PACIFIC

RETURN OF H.M.S. DUNEDIN After a cruise of nine weeks in the Pacific H.M.S. Dunodin (Commodore G T. C. B. Swabey, D.5.0.), returned to Auckland on Monday afternoon (states the "New Zealand Herald). The outstanding feature of the cruise was the visit to Honolulu, where the 150 th anniversary of Captain Cook's discovery of the Sandwich Islands was celebrated under the auspices of the United States Government at a series of functions, beginning on 13th August and ending on 20th August. Ten warships took part in the impressive ceremonies carried out at Honolulu, at Waimea, on the island of Kauai, where Captain Cook first landed, .and at Kaawaloa, on the- island of Hawaii,' whore he fell fighting. Tho American vessels included the battleship Pennsylvania, the destroyers Ludlow and Burns, and four submarines. Besides the Dunedin, tho British cruiser .Cornwall and the cruiser Brisbane, of the Australian Navy, participated. Commodoro Swabey was the senior British naval officer present. Bad weather was experienced during the first week after the Dunedin left Auckland at the beginning of July, but fine weather prevailed during the remainder of the cruise. Firing practice with the 4in guns was carried out in Nadi Waters between 10th July and 13th July, the target used being a smoko cloud laid on the water by means of a "tracer" shell. Suva was reached on 18th July, and the warship left for Honolulu two weeks later. On the voyage to Honolulu a call was made at Sydney Island, a tiny atoll where one half-caste and ten- natives are the only inhabitants. The last time a warship called there was about six years ago, and a party which went ashore was eagerly welcomed. Before Honolulu was reached Commodore Swabey gave a lecture to the ship's company on the history of discovery in the Pacific, emphasising the significance of the pending celebrations. The warship left Honolulu on 20th August, and on the run back to Suva "showed tho flag'; at a number of lonely islands, including Fanning Is j land, Christmas Island, Penrhyn, Eakah.inga, Manahiki, and Pukapuka. After remaining four days at Suva, tho Dunedin left on 3rd September for Auckland. The Dunedin's future movements have not yet been definitely decided upon by the Navy Board, but the vessel will go into dry-dock in the course of the nest few days and about a month will be spent at Auckland refitting. Toward the end of October she will proceed to Wellington, where the personnel will undergo the annual musketry training course.