‘Victory For West': Amethyst’s Escape Down The Yangtse

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 August 1949, Page 8

‘Victory For West': Amethyst’s Escape Down The Yangtse

LONDON, August 1. —The British national newspapers today were lyrical over the sloop Amethyst’s escape to the mouth of the Yangtse river. The Times said the feat was comparable with anything in the annals of the Navy’s “Little Ships.” The Manchester Guardian said: “The Amethvst was jeopardised in the first place by bad judgment, in sending her into the Yangtse, but skilful planning and dash in execution saved her.” The Daily Mail said: “The Amethyst’s escape brings .into prominence the permanent crisis—the battle between Communism and freedom. It should remind us that British ships can no longer sail the Yangtse. The danger to the West as Stalin spreads himself in the East is obvious.” Memorised River’s Twists A correspondent of the Daily Express, who is aboard the-British cruiser Jamaica off the Chinese coast, says: “The Amethyst’s captain, LieutenantCommander J. S. Kearans, had one small Admiralty chart of the Yangtse from which to study the river’s curves for the night. The Chinese Communist bombardment of the sloop in April destroyed the other charts. Lieuten-ant-Commander Kearans memorised the river’s twists so that his piloting would hot fail. “The Amethyst was built to do only 20 knots. The Communists were relying on her damaged condition to make her too slow to pass their guns. Nevertheless, the engine-room staff pushed the Amethyst to 24 knots at one stage of running the gauntlet. “Lieutenant-Commander Kearans was taken to the Amethyst by a junk from Nanking, where he was acting as naval attache.” “Moral Victory For The West “The escape of the sloop Amethyst is something more than a naval victory; it is something more important in Asia right now —it is a moral victory,” said the New York Times, in. a leading article today. “We have lost much prestige in the Far East recently, and with it—what is worse—we have lost much self-respect. We have been making the spiritual kowtow to things in which we did not believe. “But the Admiralty and the men in the ship refused to accept such a frame of mind. Their bold strike may not affect the outcome of affairs in China, but it gives every Briton today the right to lift his head. If it gives Americans, too, a will to lift their hearts and their vision, it will have been a victory indeed.” The New York Times said that the Amethyst’s terse signal, “Rejoining the Fleet,” would take its rightful place with other famous naval signals, such as, “England expects ...” The Amethyst’s exploit, said the newspaper, “has already jumped into the front ranks of modern sagas of naval warfare. King George spoke for Britain, and more than Britain, when he gave all on board his “highest commendation.’ ” New Zealand Message An Auckland Press Association message says a signal of congratulations to H.M.S. Amethyst from the New Zealand Navy League was made through the Navy Office, Wellington, today. Signed by Commander C. H. I T. Palmer, Dominion president, the message was addressed to the captain of the Amethyst and read: “The Navy League of New Zealand congratulates the captain and ship’s company on a splendid feat of seamanship and high courage.”