LEITH ARRIVES

Evening Star, Issue 21935, 23 January 1935, Page 2

LEITH ARRIVES

NEW MINESWEEPING SLOOP A TRIM CRAFT H.M.S. Leith, the new minesweeping sloop which arrived on the New Zealand Station towards the end of last year to replace H.M.S. Veronica, arrived on her first visit to Dunedin last evening. In spite of her being almost an hour earlier than expected, there was a crowd of nearly 200 people on the wharf to witness her arrival. The Leith left Lyttelton on Monday night after firing a salute as H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester left that port on board H.M.A.S. Australia, and carried out combined minesweeping exercises off Oamaru with H.M.S. Wakakura, on which portion of the Otago Division, R.N.V.R., is carrying out its annual sea training. The Leith is specially fitted for this work, and it would form her chief job in time of war. Head winds and seas were experienced for practically the whole of the passage, and the vessel arrived off Taiaroa Head about C o’clock last night. _ The services of a pilot were not required, and the vessel proceeded up the harbour and berthed at Rattray street wharf about 7.15 p.m. She will remain there till Monday next, when she will leave for Bluff and the West Coast Sounds. On Saturday and Sunday the vessel will be thrown open to the public between the hours of 2 and 6 p.m. DIFFERENT FROM PREDECESSOR. Of 260 ft length and with a gross tonnage of 1,250 the Leith is radically different in appearance from the sloops previously on this station. In fact, she is similar in appearance to the cruisers Dunedin and Diomede, though without their rakish lines. Prom a straight stem with slightly flaring bows the fore-

castle deck runs well aft, whereas her predecessor, the Veronica, had a small well-deck, similar to a merchant vessel. The navigating bridge, two masts, and a single smokestack complete the profile. The Leith is also more heavily armed than the other sloops, and carries two 4.7 in guns, one for’ard and the other aft, one Sin anti-aircraft gun, and the usunal 4.3-pounders for saluting purposes. Aft on the quarter-deck is the big winch for Impelling the two coils, each of 750 fathoms, of sweeping wire, for use in minesweeping work, while on each quarter right at the stern are two heavy davits, also for handling the sweeping gear exercises in the use of which are given once a quarter.

Engines of 2,000 horse-power drive the vessel at a speed of 16;} knots, though her normal praising speed is much lower than that. Her complement is six officers and 104 ratings. The cost of the Leith was about £335,000, including about £IO,OOO for Tier guns. The Leith was built at the Devonport dockyard, in England, and was launched in September, 1933. She was commissioned in July and paid a visit to the Scottish port after which she is named before her departure for New Zealand. Her trip, via Gibraltar, Malta, Port Said, Aden, Colombo, Singapore, the Dutch East Indies, Thursday Island, and Brisbane, was uneventful. Hardly any rough weather was experienced, but the vessel made the trip throughout at reduced speed. Two whales were struck by the Leith during the voyage, one just after leaving Brisbane, and the second only three days before reaching New Zealand.

The sloop arrived with mascots, a fox terrier and two cats. Tho most prized mascot, a large Persian cat, “ deserted ” at Brisbane. The Leith was at Colombo at the same time as H.M.S. Sussex, with the Duke of Gloucester on board, and on her way to Brisbane H.M.A.S. Moresby, which was patrolling the Timor Sea to assist if necessary competitors in the Melbourne centenary air race, was sighted, It was thought the Leith might ho instructed by wireless to join in patrolling tho stretch of ocean on tho way to Darwin, but she was about twelve hours ahead of the flyers, and was allowed to proceed uninterrupted.

THE OFFICERS. Captain O. Beyin is in command of the Leith, and his officers are Lieutenant C. H. C. Singleton, Lieutenant C. A. C. Montgomery (navigating officer), Surgeon-lieutenant C. D. D. De Labillicro, Sub-lieutenant N. Scott Elliott, Warrant-gunner D. H. Brett, and Warrant-engineer C. G. Kerswell. THE ARRIVAL. In the gathering twilight it was difficult to distinguish the lines of the Leith as she came up the Victoria Channel, her grey-painted hull blending with the colour of the water so closely. As she approached her berth, however, it was seen that she possessed very graceful lines and had the appearance of a good sea boat. This was later borne out in conversation with one of the ship’s company, who said she was very dry in a sea. The crew was mustered on deck as the Leith entered the steamer basin, but a bugle call,_ followed by the scream of a bo’sun’s pipe and the traditional and (to the landsman) meaningless call, giveii by that individual, sent them scurrying about the business of preparing the mooring gear, while the leadsman standing in the chains kept the executive officers familiar with the depth of the water. The little vessel_ glided in to her berth, a heaving line writhed through the air and was pounced upon by members of the Harbour Board staff, and the mooring wires were hauled ashore and slipped over the posts. Easily as a ferry boat she came alongside, and several bluejackets leaped ashore to make the lines fast. Scarcely had the sloop been moored than the quarter-deck awning was brought on deck and rigged in a surprisingly short time, a practical illustration of what sepcialisation and team work will do. Everything on deck was then “ snugged down ’* and the guns covered, and all was ready for the night. OFFICIAL CALLS. This morning the usual official calls were paid by representatives of the Otago Harbour Board, the Dunedin City Council, the local Territorial units, and the Otago Officers’ Club. The calls were returned by Captain Bevin later in the morning. *