ANNOYED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 14 June 1939, Page 9

ANNOYED

LONDON, 2Cth May. Naval men are slightly annoyed about press comminiques from the Empress of Australia. The description applied to the picking up by the Repulse of the mail barrel dropped overboard from the royal liner lias particularly embarassed them. This simple manoeuvre was described as a triumph of seamanship, which is hound to arouse the satirical comment of all merchant service sealareis. And the Royal Navy intensely dislikes being laughed at by the sister service. Since the line cooperative fraternity of the two services jealously has died down. Rut if certainly would not be prod' against any attempt to represent puking up a barrel with grappling irons as an epic of scientific seamanship. Actually, in regard to the latter much what has drivers are to private owner-drivers. Necessarily their far greater and more constant experience gives the merchant sailors an immensely greater facility. This was recognised, when the war broke out. by making a merchant seaman the navigating officer of every big naval ship alloat.