DEFENCE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 21945, 4 February 1935, Page 3

DEFENCE TOPICS

FROM QUARTERDECK TO PARADE GROUND [By Sam Bbowns.] NAVAL RESERVES ANNUAL SEA TRAINING A further draft of R.N.V.R. ratings and an officer left Dunedin on Saturday afternoon to carry out their annual sea training off.Oamaru. They will return on Saturday next. APPOINTMENT Lieutenant John' Everard Finch has been appointed to -the Otago Division for general service as from February 1. This officer commenced in the Wellington Division and before transferring to the West Coast was promoted to lieutenant. For eighteen months he was on list 2. With this appointment to the Otago Division on list 1, further service and training will commence, Lieutenant Finch being stationed in Dunedin. NAVAL DANCE A most successful dance was held in the divisional headquarters of the R.N.V.R. on Wednesday last by the ship’s company of H.M.S. Wakakura. An excellent orchestra kept the evening lively, and supper was served in the battery. This dance was to enable funds to be raised to send a team toTreritham for the annual rifte competition. On Saturday, February 9, it is hoped to repeat this, and R.N.V.R. officers and ratings are invited to co-operate. PARADES Weekly parades will recommence next month, .the first being on March 6 and 7. These parades will be logged for reference throughout the year, and unless proper attention is given to attendance, instruction, etc., the bounties now granted are liable to be withheld. MOUNTED RIFLES SUCCESSFUL CAMPS The annual camp of the Otago Mounted Rifles, which was held at Outram, concluded on Thursday. The weather was excellent, and a considerable amount of tactical work in the field was carried out. / 11 in " r ~ ~' ARTILLERY UTH MEDIUM BATTERY At the weekly parade of the 14th Medium Battery, which was held at Central Battey, St. Kilda, on Monday evening last, the time was spent chiefly in preparation for the battery’s departure for camp, which takes place on February 7. Chiefly for the benefit of recruits who have not yet been .to camp, a lecture was given‘dealing with the precautions necessary when handling live shell, and a revision was carried out of that portion of . the gun drill which deals with the necessary steps to bo taken in the event of missfires. If is hoped that every member of the unit has brought the dates of camp before his employer's notice, and has made every effort to obtain the necessary leave. The battery will return to town on February 14. All ranks are reminded that the usual parade will be held this evening, and on this occasion a good attendance is particularly desired. THE DTAGD REGIMENT PRE-CAMP WORK The following work will ba carried out by companies and detachments before the annual camp:— (a) Judging distance and tests. (b) Fire orders and indication of targets. ( (c) Sufficient musketry to enable all ranks to take part in field firing at the annual camp. HALF-DAY PARADES The following half-day parades will be held:— February 9.—D (Support) Company. February 16.—Completion of rifle course by A Company and all groups of headquarters wing. February 23.—Details to be notified by battalion headquarters. NEW DESTROYERS LONG CRUISING RANGE Starting with oil tanks full and steaming at economical speed, Britain’s new destroyers are capable of making a non-stop run of 6,000 miles. This is nearly, four times greater than the cruising range of her wartime destroyers, whicn were only some 400 tons smaller than the new craft. The increase in radius has been achieved partly by improvements in boilers and turbines and partly by enlarging the oilbunker spaces. Instead of adopting the foreign fashion of increasing speed and armament at the expense of endurance, the Admiralty has designed the new destroyers chiefly with an eye to sea-keeping qualities. This is of paramount importance in view of the world wide responsibilities of the British Navy. Although steaming endurance has steadily increased since the first postwar boats were built in 1927, it is only in the E and P type, now relieving older craft in the Home Fleet flotillas, that the 6,000-mile mark has been reached. These boats carry 480 tons of fuel oil, as against 390 tons'in the A class, and they are therefore able to cruise from Plymouth to Cape Town, or from Plymouth to New York and back, without replenishing bunkers. The only foreign destroyers which can equal tins performance are the new

America!) boats, which, however, are of greater tonnage. Jn spite of their extraordinary steaming radius, Britain’s E class destroyers are very fast. Designed for 35* ‘ knots at full power, the Electra, Esk, and several other boats actually made 38 knots on trial without any forcing of the engines. They are also well armed, mounting four 4.Tin guns, several anti-aircraft guns, and ’eight torpedo tubes.