MIGHTY NEW SHIPS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17592, 24 September 1917, Page 6

MIGHTY NEW SHIPS.

OUR MYSTERY SHIPS. *

VISIT TO THE BATTLE-CRUISERS. (London " Daily Mail.”)' A NAVAL BASE. Off the remote land of the midnight sun are many who have not . set foot on shore for nearly three years. Those who know naval history:will remember Collingwood, how on his last interview he said to a friend:— “ ‘ My family are actually strangers to me. He was greatly overcome by the feeling thus excited, and, taking me by the hand (it is Admiral Sir T. B. Martin who. tells the story, and with a change of names it is true to-dav). he said, ‘"What a life of privation ours is —what an abandonment of everything to our professional duty, and how little do the people of England know, the sacrifices we make for them!’ With this ho turned from me to hide the tear which ran down his manly cheek,, and saying * Farewell!’ walked to his boat.

"Farewell! farewell!” And this might be tho watchword of the.Jast day of the King’s visit to his fleet which we were privileged to watch at this base of the battle-cruiser fleet.

The morning.was radiant—the first really fine.day that:had favoured the King, whom I have never seen. An such good health and high, cheerfulness as here among the seamen whom he treats as comrades. He was afloat very' early. Soon after 9 a.m. he proceeded ,to the Princess Royal, the creat battle-cruiser which followed next to the Lion,' Admiral Beatty’s flagship, in the battles of the Dogger Bank and Jutland. This is a vessel full of relics and memories. In the gun-room (where the light-heart-ed junior officers live and mess) is p large fragment of a 12in shell, fired by the German battle-cruiser Lutzow at- Jutland, on a tasteful wooden stand adorned with the f ollotving inscription:—

Presented to the Gun-room Officers, H.M.S. Princess Royal, by S.M.S. Lutzow (R-.1.P.), 31 May, 1916. The Lutzow now rests in peace at the bottom of the North Sea. THEY "CARRIED ON.” An example of what a shell cafi do ii preserved in the dockyard in the shape of a riddled coal-shoot from this same Princess Royal. It looks like a colander such as would be used by giants. The three-eighth-inch steel is drilled and tom by fragments. But more marvellous than the behaviour of material was the conduct of men on that great day. Of this we heard many stones from the actors in the drama. A heavy shell struck a big gun-turret with a; crash that waa felt throughout the ship. Ii put every man of one gun crew out of action. The gun-layer was least injured, but he had one leg carried off With the limb hanging by a shred ol flesh ,he tried to rally the dead and dying in his turret and continue tin battle. He never felt his injury. .At he was calling on the dying men to g< back to their gun he was removed in i stretcher and the fleet surgeon savet his heroio life, operating in a lull of th« battle by the light of an electric tore! alone. Of none do the men speak with more enthusiasm than of their surgeons, In another case a seaman _ remainec pacidly throughout the action on tin turret roof cleaning the periscope anc gun-sights as the German shells snriekec overhead, and as, at short intervals storms of splinters swept the. armour He bore a charmed life, and at the end showed never a scratch. Yet, as a sub lieutenant told us, the big shells passed continually over the ship. He himsell was minded at one moment of the battle to see what the enemy was doing and laboriously hoisted himself out ol the man-hole at the top of the turret Just as he did so a monstrous object passed with a scream overhead, and 1m knew it for a big German shell. He did not prolong his observations. In another case an officer_found t huge stoker—who weighs 17£dt. anc pulls like Hercules in the stokers’ tug of-war team —carrying on with a dee; cut a foot long in liis arm and bad bum; from the flam of a shell. Nor would he leave his station to he bandaged til a direct miftery order to that effoci had been given oy his superior. THE GALLANT ABDIEL. After the march past came an inves titure of those who had won battle honours at Jutland. This took place it the open air. A red dais and a cushioi were set out on the quarter-deck in ful bight of the men—a compact ipass ° several thousand white caps and upturn ed faces that watched everv movement The procedure was this: —Each office) to he invested came up to the King saluted, removed his cap (to one th< King said humorously, “ I am sorry but 1 cannot get this ribbon over you) head without ruffling your liair”), re oeived his honour, shook hands witi the King, who spoke a few words t< each, put on his cap again, looked.ai the King, saluted and retired. Amou.t the decorations bestowed were four t( trawler captains, won by their consum mate bravery, and no fewer than sever to the Abdiel, of which ship the flee' declares that every man in her deserve: the V.C. . ' In the dignity and simplicity of tin rite there was nothing to try the risi bility of man, but we learnt that man,'' of the crew had undergone the ordea of being kissed on Loth cheeks, whet receiving foreign Orders from our Allies. without a muscle quivering. The King next proceeded to inspecl two of the new ships, of stupendous size and extraordinary design. Thej are measured literally by the ftirlong and if they have been bitterly criticisec in Parliament the nation may rest as sttred that the men here in charge ol them think them excellent for; theii special purpose. Twice in these mys tery ships which may not be named fh< solemn rite of the march past was enacted.

“HYMN 224, LAST VERSE.”

The King lunched at the new dockyard, which, with its three giant docks, is on© of the creations of this war, anc after lunch inspected the works there He then went afloat and visited two at tho light "cruisers. One “strafed” : Zeppelin in May last year. It is al leged that her commodore replied to t telegram of congratulation by biddint tho senders “read Hymn 224, last verse,” which runs: O happy band of pilgrims, Look upward to the skies, Where such a light affliction Shall win eo gTeat a prize.; Last of all the King proceeded tt the -destroyer base and inspected tin crews of a multitude of these craf drawn up or. shore, as space? for sucl a ceremony is not- to be obtained or the cramped and congested decss of r torpedo v essel. He thanked them toi their splendid work throughout t.u war and at Jutland, where they cov eied themselves with such undying glory, and then bis visit was ovtev.