NAVAL REVIEW

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 28 July 1924, Page 5

NAVAL REVIEW

A PICTURESQUE PART. PERFORMANCES BY AVIATORS. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT; LONDON, July 26. A picturesque part of the naval review, which took place at Spithead today, was .the acroDatics of naval aeroplanes of various three of which escorted the Royal yacht when it left Portsmouth conveying the King and the Prince of Wales. Preceding and following the Royal yacht were a trinity of Admiralty yachts acting as guestships, with the Duke of Connaught, Admiralty officials, delegates to the Allied Conference, , members of Cabinet, and Parliamentarians aboard. These steamed for five miles. The warships were gaily dressed, the crews cheering and guns saluting. Thousands lined the shores. .

The review marked the first concentration of the fleet since the armistice, there being 193 ships compared with 205 in the King’s review of 1914, hut the difference in comparison was remarkable. There were 19 battleships, one battle-cruiser, and nine cruisers today, compai’ed with 55 battleships, four battle-cruisers, and 55 cruisers in 1914. On the contrary there were 88 destroyers, compared with 56 in 1914. There were also several new classes of ships, including 39 mine sweepers and two aircraft carriers, of which there were none in 1914. There were also numerous submarines, minelayers, and seaplanes. After ten days’ service at sea the Atlantic fleet joined in for the review.