ROYAL VISITORS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 24 January 1927, Page 5

ROYAL VISITORS

BUSY TIME AT JAMAICA. HISTORIC SPOTS VISITED. ELABORATE NAVAL RITUAL. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYBIGHt KINGSTON (Jamaica), Jan. 22. Kingston is still illuminated ill honour of the Royal visitors, but the city found a rival last evening when the cruisers (Calcutta and Colombo "lit ship” in honour of the Duke and Duchess, outlining their whole hulls, funnels and masts in a brilliant electrical display. At the same time the Renown showed the A r ork Rose as well as her own crest. As the Duke and Duchess left the shore for the ship at the conclusion of the inland visit the Renown fired a rocket and played a searchlight on the ducal standard at the main masthead. The harbour thereupon, under the soft tropical skies, blazed with light, making a most effective night display. To-day the Duke opened a busy day with an unofficial visit to Porto Royal, the old bucaneer headquarters, and _at one time the richest city in Jamaica until an earthquake destroyed it. The place is now only a ghost of its former greatness. The party was taken to Fort Uharles, .in which in 1779 Lord Nelson, the commander, used to pace the ramparts as though on his own quarter-deck. They also visited the Garrison Church, where they were touched by the many pathetic inscriptions on the tombs recording the deaths of midshipmen as young as thirteen years from fever or falls from aloft, etc.

After a few minutes in the mess examining other old relics and records, the Duke returned to the Renown to carry out official visits to the Calcutta and Colombo, which were accompanied by all the ceremonial appropriate to the occasion. The Duke was piped overside all the ships and the Royal Guards were mounted. The National Anthem was played and the crews marched past on their own decks and then stood at the alert as the Royal barge moved from ship to ship. It was a most impressive instance of naval ritual where tradition was reflected in every item of the arrangements. The visits were over by noon, and the Royal barge immediately conveyed Their Highnesses ashore, where the enthusiasm of the welcome was unabated. They proceeded direct to the Renown Club and the Sailors’ Rest, both institutions being designed to help to entertain sailors in Kingston. Thence they went to the Cenotaph, where the Duke placed a magnificent wreath in memory of Jamaican soldiers who fell in the Great War.

The next function had also a military significance. This was -the laying of the foundation stone of Kingston’s war memorial. . A short service was held in the parish church in the presence of a distinguished gathering. The memorial is in the form of a clock tower of dignified design to take‘the plaee of the one destroyed in the earthquake of 1907. The musical portion of the service was most melodious. One small choir boy with a shining black face above his correct Eton collar and white surplice, presented the Duchess with a bouquet of carnations.

After viewing Vice-Admiral John Benbow’s grave, which is in the church, the Duke and Duchess motoredjthrough crowds, which were as large as ever, to Trafalgar Park, where they took lunch, and later attended a garden party which was confined almost entirely to the naval and military sections of the community. In the evening the Duke and Duchess entertained about forty of Kingston’s leading dignitaries at dinner. This was followed by a reception on the Renown’s decks, which were brilliantly illuminated and decorated, all the resources of the ship being called upon for the occasion. These festivities will hardly be concluded to-night before working parties will be hard at it swinging in the boats and carrying out all the preparations for weighing anchor at dawn to-morrow (Sunday).