FEDERAL LINER CORNWALL

Evening Star, Issue 21891, 30 November 1934, Page 11

FEDERAL LINER CORNWALL

CADETS' REGATTA . OFFICERS' NARROW WIN The Federal steamer. Cornwall is a capacious overseas carrier, and is also a marine college for the training of youthful sailors to the profession of the sea. Her students are taught everything of a nautical nature from the making of a short splice to the manipulating of the delicate mathematical instruments used in the science of navigation. When Norrie computed his historical tables to simplify the sailors’ calculating, the- science of navigation was an ordinary seaman’s job, as compared to the intricate study it is todav. Youthful sailors who aspire to scale the ladder to the captain’s cabin these days have to qualify as exports. The Cornwall carries nineteen cadets, who may be said to be at the high school stage, from which they matriculate after four years. They then proceed to obtain the “ degrees ” which qualify them for various stations of responsibility. Master mariner and extra master mariner certificates of competency qualify them to take charge of the ship, crew, cargo, passengers, Royal mail, and other elements of “ worry afloat.” . _

Meanwhile, the cadets on the Cornwa 11 have adequate recreation as well as efficient training. One of their most popular recreations is boat racing. Yesterday they held one of their periodical regattas. The ship was in dry dock, arid a ship in dock is supposed to be out of commission. Therefore, the ship conditions were excellent. The harbour conditions were also favourable, for the light wind was just sufficient to ripple the surface. The cadets were not the only oarsmen out. The stewards’ department had a racing crew, of whom the chief steward was stroke, and the chief baker was cox. They pulled a good oar, too. But the cadets were the ship’s oarsmen, and incidentally the most popular with the longshore spectators. The port watch won. Then the crew of officers had a “ ding-dong go ” with the winning cadet crew. The regatta yesterday was held amidst scenes of great enthusiasm. This regatta is held every voyage, and is one of the most important events of the trip. All the rowing is done in Royal Naval Service whalers, of which this ship carries two. These are five-oared boats, and can also be used for sailing. The course was from a position off Rocky Point to the Sheerlcgs at Pprt Chalmers, a distance of six cables, which is about two-thirds of a mile. The weather conditions were good, with a slight breeze and sea The first race was between the officers’ crew and the victualling department crew. Both crews got away with a poo'd start, and raced neck and'neck for the first half of the course. The Officers then spurted hard, and drew two lengths ahead. They held this advantage until the last 200yds. where both crews snurted hard. The Officers’ long stroke told, and they won by two and a-half lengths. The second race was between the cadet crew (port watch) and the cadet crew (starboard watch). The Starboard Watch crew got away to an excellent start, and drew a length and a-half ahead in the first 100yds. At the halfway mark, due to a hard spurt and some brilliant coxing by their cox. the Port Watch got a lead of a length. They held this until the last 200yds, where both crews spurted hard for the winning post. The Port Watch was too good, and drew awav to win by three lengths. The finals were held later in the day between the officers’ crew and the Cadet crew (port watch). Great excitement prevailed, as both crews were very evenly matched. The.cadets won the 1 toss and had choice of boats and inside or outside course. The whalers were towed to the starting point by the pilot launch (by kind permission of the harbour ihaster, who lias always taken a great interest in the ship’s regattas. and who was among the most enthusiastic spectators present). Captain A. R. Lettington, D.F.C., the cummander of the ship, was present, with

Commander J. Olphert, R.N.R., the marine superintendent of the New Zealand Shipping Company Ltd., Mr A. Drummond, the chief engineer of the Cornwall, and Captain F. Duncan, who said it reminded him of his own early days at sea when he was a young “ brass bounder.” Chief Petty-officer G. Ramsdale, R.N., the ship’s physical training instructor, .acted as starter and course umpire. Mr Ramsdale has trained' all the racing crews of the Cornwall for the past three and a-half years with an almost unbroken record of success, haviug been defeated only twice. Mr Ramsdale came to the Cornwall with a notable record from the Royal Navy, where he had had much success as a physical training instructor. His last five years in the service were spent in the Royal Naval Engineering College at Keyham, Davenport, which is one of the most important physical training posts in the Royal Navy. He has also trained the ship’s fencing team, which is unbeaten, having defeated the Royal Navy and the Dominion Fencing Clubs on numerous occasions. Two years ago the ship drew with the Sydney Swords Club, which is considered the strongest swords club in the. Southern Hemisphere. Both crews got away with a perfect start, hut the cadets, who were pulling a very fast stroke, drew away from the officers and had a lead of fully a length at the end of the first hundred yards. It looked as if the cadets had the. race in hand, but the officers, who were pulling a very long stroke, gradually overtook them and were almost level at the end of the first two cables. Both crews were pulling hard, but the cadets were pulling five strokes a minute more than their rivals. At this point it was obviously anybody’s rape., Mr Hopkins, the officer’s co.t, called on his crew for a spUrt, and, with a great effort, they drew half a length ahead. The boats then maintained their respective positions for the next one and a-half cables. Cadet Posgate then started the drive for home. It was a hard and sustained spurt, and the cadets raised their rate of striking to thirty-three strokes to the minute. The long stroke of the officers enabled them to hold their own for a few lengths, but the cadets gradually overtook them and were level at the last cable. Both crews rallied strongly, and with spurt answering spurt, they raced for the winning post. It was neck and neck, but the officers got a lead of 4ft and maintained it, in spite of the strong rallies from the cadets. This was one of the closest finishes ever seen in the ship’s regattas. This is the first time on record that the officers’ crew has ever won the ship’s regatta, although it was only beaten by Sin in the semi-finals of the regatta held in Wellington last voyage. The following were the crews: — Officers; Cox, Mr E. H. Hopkins fchief officer); stroke, Mr E. Holden i fourth officer) ; No. 2, Mr G. A. Shepherd (second officer); No. 3. Mr G. WhallCv-WakefOrd (instructional officer) ; No. 4, Mr A. Brown (third officer) ; bow, Mr J. V. Stockman (wireless officer). Cadets’ Crew (Port Watch) : Cox, Cadet I, Posgate; stroke. Cadet ABrodie; No. 2, Cadet A. Robins; No. 3, Cadet R. Morrison: No. 4, Cadet E. Sindall; bow. Cadet J. Sayer. Mr G Whalley-Wakeford is the sports and instructional officer of the ship, and was responsible for the organisation of the regatta. The officers crew, in a challenge race with the officers of the Canterbury Division of the R.N.Y.R., held at Lyttelton, won by threo lengths over a course of seven cables under very bad weather conditions. , TT , The Cornwall sailed to-day lor Wellington and other North Island ports. The cadets hope there will be ships of the New Zealand and the Australian navies at Auckland when the Cornwall gets there. Then there will ‘•he boat racing, fencing, assnult-at-arms, and cricket.