THE ROYAL ARTHUR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11580, 16 May 1898, Page 5

THE ROYAL ARTHUR.

The flagship Royal Arthur sailed early on Saturday morning for Akaroa, where she ! willremain some four days, and then proceed to Wellington. It is much to be regretted that there appears to have been some hitch regarding the exchange of courtesies which are usual between the Admiral of the Station and the local authorities. The Royal Arthur quite unexpectedly arrived at Lyttelton late on Wednesday night, the usual course of sending the harbour-master a telegram not having been adopted. To , add to the - uncertainty. Hie cruiser was telegraphed from Nelson as having sailed for Akaroa, so that when she was signalled as approaching the Heads on Wednesday evening some surprise was expressed. The tug Lyttelton went down to the Heads with Captain Clark, the harbour-master, and Captain Galbraith, the head pilot, but i their services were not availed of. The flagship came to an anchorage below Camp Bay, and, therefore, about three miles from the port. Throughout the whole of Thursday the weather was of a somewhat wintry nature, and although the Harbour Board had arranged to pay an official visit to the flagship during Thursday afternoon, it was postponed till the following day. During Friday the Admiral’s Secretary wrote to the Secretary of the Harbour Board as follows: “I am directed by his Excellency the Admiral to express to you his regret that as it is his last day at Lyttelton he will not be on board this afternoon when you purpose paying your visit to him. His Excellency further desires me to say that should the chairman and members of the Harbour Board still care to see the ship he will be very happy to have them shown round.” From the tone of this letter, coupled with the fact that the Admiral’s absence at the time of the visit, of the Chairman of the Board and the Mayor of Christchurch appeared to be of no more pressing a nature than the indulgence in a cruise in one of the ship’s boats, the impression is left that the j Admiral either did not approve of such j formalities as official visits, or that he conj sidered an unnecessary lapse of time had j been allowed, to go by since his arrival. In either case the incident is to be regretted, but perhaps in coming to a conclusion on the matter it is well to remark that when Admiral Bridge visited Lyttelton he took the precaution, some days before, to inform the port officials, and had that course been adopted by the present commander-in-chief of the • Australian squadron, there is no doubt that the various local representatives would ■ have made the necessary arrangements for a fitting welcome. I In regard to the action of the Mayor of Christchurch in the matter, it appears that a few weeks ago, having heard that it was probable that some vessels of the squadron would visit Lyttelton, his Worship caused a letter to bo sent to the Government inquiring when they would ido so. The reply he received was to the ! effect that the Government could give , him no information on tho subject. He 1 learned nothing further concerning tho matter till last Thursday morning, when he saw in the newspapers that H.M.S. | Royal Arthur had arrived at Lyttelton, and \ would probably leave on Sunday. He at i once caused a letter to be sent to Admiral ■ Pearson, stating that, if convenient to the latter, he would pay a visit on Saturday, and asking that, if that day wero not convenient, the Admiral would inform him what time would be. He also enclosed tickets for the mayoral ball on May 24. Next morning (Friday) the Mayor saw an announcement . in the newspapers that the vessel was to leave on Saturday. Ho had received no reply to his letter, but he determined to pay his visit on Friday afternoon, and did so. On Saturday he received a letter from the Admiral, expressing regret that the latter had been absent when he visited the vessel, and also that her departure on Saturday would prevent the Admiral from sending an officer to return tho visit. Later in. the day his Worship received a letter from the captain and officers of tho ship, thanking him for a number of ball tickets which he had sent to them, and. regretting that as tho vessel was going away, they would be unable to accept his invitation.