AUSTRALIAN SQUADRON

Evening Star, Issue 22540, 7 January 1937, Page 12

AUSTRALIAN SQUADRON

NAVAL CRUISE OF HEW ZEALAND ; three Vessels to call here After three years the Royal Austra- ' Han- Naval Squadron will again visit Nefr Zealand. Tinder the command o$ Rear-Admiral Richard H. 0. LanePoolc,’ C. 8., 0.8. E., the squhdron consists of the H.M.A.S. Canberra (flagship) and the Australia, Sydney, Stuart, Vendetta, Waterhen, and Swan. The squadron is scheduled to leave Hobart for Wellington, where it is due on April 1. and from that port on April 5 it,will disperse, the vessels proceeding either alone-or in couples to the various ports to pay informal visits. Three. vessels will call at Dunedin. The H.M.A.S. Australia is due on April 6, and Will remain for six days. In 1933 the Australia visited this port, and possesses the distinction of being one of the largest vessels ever to call here. She will berth at Port Chalmers. With a standard displacement of 9,870 tons, the Australia has a length of 630 ft over,all; her beam is 68ft, and her mean draught 16Jft. Her armament consists of eight'Sin guns, four 4in antiaircraft guns, four three-pounders, four two-pounder pom-poms, four machine guns, and eight Lewis guns. Her. eight gfri'n torpedo tubes are on quadruple 1 mountings. Although on paper these ships appear to be inferior to modern treaty cruisers, they are in practice superior in sea-going qualities._ and have accommodation and habitability which are not equalled by any other cruisers. In ■ addition a considerable amount of weight has been expehded in structural strength and internal protections. No attempt has been made to attain high speed, the ideal aimed at being the ability to sustain the designed speed indefinitely and in all weathers. The average cost of this class of ship was £1,970,000, and the annual upkeep is £238,850 d ship. Captain H. .A. Foster, M.V.0., is in command. Vendetta .and Stuart are expected at Dunedin on April 9, and will stay until . April 14. Vendetta will be the first destroyer to visit this port since the occasion of the visit of 12 American destroyers in August, 1925. The vessel will also lie the first British destroyer to come to Dunedin. In common with other vessels of the “ V ” class, she it armed with six 21in torpedo tubes ia two,' triple deck mountings. Her length is 312 ft over all, by 29Jft beam. The armament consists of four 4in guns,' one two-pounder pom-pom, one machine gun, and four Lewis guns. Her speed is 31 knots, and she comes under the commend of Lieutenant-com-mander J. Donovan. The flotilla leader Stuart is of the type built under the war emergency programme.. Her displacement is 1,480 tons, and she has a length over all of 329 ft. Her guns consist of five 4.7 in brecch-loading pieces, one 3in anti-air-craft gxin ; two two-pounder pom-poms, one machine gun, and four Lewis guns. Six 21in torpedo tubes are carried in two triple deck mountings. Her speed is 31 knots. She is under the command of Captain G. H. J. Harcourt, who is also in command of the destroyer flotilla. Following is the itinerary of the squadron during its New Zealand visit:— Wellington.—The whole squadron, April Ito 5. ' . . Lyttelton.—H.M.A. ships Canberra and Sydney, April 6 to 12. Fort Chalmers. —H.M.A.S. Australia, April 6 to 12. Dunedin. —H.M.A. ships Stuart and Vendetta, April 9 to 14. Napier.—H.M.A.S. Swan, April 6 to 13. Bay of Islands or Whangarei.— H.M.A. ships Canberra, Sydney, and Australia, April 15 and 16. Gisborne, H.M.A.S. Swan, April 12 to 16. Nelson, H.M.A.S. Waterhen, April 5 to 8. Timaru.—H.M.A.S.- Waterhen, April 9 to 14. Picton. —H.M.A. ships Stuart and .Vendetta, April 5 to 8. Auckland. The whole squadron, April 17 to 21.