BERTHING OF THE HOOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18706, 12 May 1924, Page 10

BERTHING OF THE HOOD.

SCENE AT THE WHARF. PAGEANT ON THE HARBOUR ESCORT OF SMALL CRAFT. NOBLE PICTURE PRESENTED. Sunshine was the supreme decoration as the; light cruiser Delhi, herald of : the Special Service Squadron, entered the Waitemata ; Channel about 9 a.m., and 'headed for the heart of the drenched city. The welcome ... brightness emerged from a ragged sky that since dawn had seemed hopeless for fair weather, and made a magnificent picture of rare joyousness/ '■'::'■' ''■ ' ' ' •'-'"•-'■', ;„ •» The scene was impressive in all its features and fascinations. North /arid eastward over Rangitoto ponderous clouds formed a dark background out of ,which rose the smoke of the colossal Hood behind the hills, unseen as yet .to the thousands of watchers along the waterfront, though already visible to soaring aircraft and sentinels on lofty places,, but making her nearness felt like the shadow of a great event. High across the ' south-wes-tern sky shone an arch . of welcome, this a glorious rainbow, recalling the covenant of the merciful bow in the cloud. In the foreground, athwart the middle of the harbour stream, a broad belt of sunlight silvered the rippling waters. The Queen City at the last moment had donned robes of regal splendour for an historic occasion. • : - C '""'"/ v- " ./. Setting a Superb Stage. ' For an hour a superb stage was set for the great naval pageant on the Dominion's most beautiful harbour. Out, of the grey scud in the north-east camo the Delhi, shepherded bv the tug Te Awhina, and flying the double-dotted flag of the RearAdmiral. ti . . Steadily the trim cruiser steered and steamed for the western quay of the crowded Prince's Pier. Near her goal, launches swung from her derrick, took the water like gulls, and spurted to - the quay. The ship's band played briskly, the strains of N " Old . Comrades " recalling to , former soldiers of New Zealand the erimmer circumstances of comradeship in fcha World War. * On the decks of the cruiser marines stood to attention; gear everywhere* intact, ropes coiled down, signallers in place, everything " ship-shape and Bristol fashion," 'A'sharp detonation started the tens* spectators. / This was the report of the cruisers apparatus for shooting lines ashore. These were caught and bollarded hv her team of nimble seamen. In a few minutes the Delhi was moored to Auckland >;x i it i. ; There was a■> hearty;- cheer of welcome from the citizens on the . new sheds on Prince's Pier, and then a pell-mell scamper to the eastern balconies. '■ Welcome to the Hood, ; Excitement, now had a keen edge. Every coign of vantage about the harbour, along the near-by ridges, and on the balconies and roofs of tall buildings in ; the city, was stnbbled with spectators. The glowing sunshine on the edge of more showers kindled the enthusiasm of a multitude. A tense silence was broken with' a spontaneous shout: ; " There she'; is; f look! ■ look' the Hood I" n ',-!.:. And what a noble < picture of; a shwl mass ;of ! moving power and. prestige! h The* mammoth battleship ; filled the : gap be- ' tween Mount Victoria : and ; the J North Head, dipped ■■■ for: an instant : behind the final "bluff, and rounded a rocking flotilla of launches ' and yachts, these an armada and an argosy of admiration. •• - :: , -'•"".'■' . The leviathan hovered .as .it seemed in the strait, then squared all her lines from deep keel to .towering turret, and ■' came on. ' ' , ■ ."'.... "; • Excitement changed to emotion as ; this compact mass of 45,000 ton 8 : of British steel and British craftsmanship glided onward, nearer ever nearer, without apparent effort, yet under perfect control. ■■■■■ The Auckland harbour master, Captain H. H Sergeant, was on board and won the praise of the ; admiral for the manner in which; the huge, heavy ship was taken' to the front door of the city without a flaw in the -, navigation and in the berthing f^noeuvres., : ' t , ■ • -~... : Beauty of the Floating , Portress. " What was it all like to' the' thrilled spectators? , The images varied with - the varieties., of imagination. ,t In .silhouette, like a; monstrous camel, and, again, not unlike.;;ar: moving Rangitoto; then, and finally, as viewed /in close perspective, a wonderful floating fortress loaded with power for good and evil, for peace or war. .; . *st, . '~,„,-,-. It is ; impossible ; to; limn the beauty of the scene - as' the greatest warship /in the world moved along a sunlit waterway. Her serene progress was;; inspiring, though not without entertaining as? well as entrancing features. r The most' formidable emblem of; Britain's .power was convoyed by > a;,; flurry of pert; craft, \ like startled ducklings - around - a gigantic swan. ■ - . -■ „ ..- ~ , ~.-• ,- . - ■l The first thrill of; welcome :.:'was;; mechanical. The :■ port syren : screamed a treble I Welcome. This . was the signal for all the ■ steam contrivances oh- the craft in } the animated harbour • and jin foundries ashore to greet; the ; mighty, flagship; of -Vice-' . Admiral v Sir Frederick s Field '.with: a. 1 tremendous chorus. ; Again and again more shrieks "and v the : shrill whistles of • railway, engines. f - ~ . < . Admiral Comes Ashore. .>; ,|.'-:■■' Still • the enormous crowds ,oh ■}. all ■-:■ the |, wharves t were; shy in" enthusiasm, appar-* "ontly, stunned by ,- admiration. Curiously :]';. enough r asa?• canopy 7of i cloud dissolved -in T plumping rain, the concourse •;. found ) ex- f pression. ' It '*> was as if they '* desired to' assure ~ the men ion '* the Hood - that the ■ shower was quite accidental and in no way j representative of ' the « real feelings of the happy f . people at '." seeing so many of the l, Empire ; sailors .'' home from I the sea." ' j; Now, at 10 1 o'clock, the Hoodf was in ! the basin between the King's Wharf and ! the Prince's Pier. ' Her 'flags;betokened the presence of admirals of the fleet on ; board. A St. George's cross with one ■ ball- fluttered at; the ;'fore, above ;;; the : mighty ; turret, and at the ?!; main fa | crowned union flag stood out in honour of Viscount Jellicoe. the beloved Gov- > ernor-General of the Dominion,; the noless beloved hero of the Special Service k Squadron,; whose officers;"and men hailed lk him as a great comrade ; in ■ the > far * country. ;;';;- ■. • ~..- ■r. ....:.. ■. , ■ The berthing of the graceful : ,monster need not be detailed. The ; tugs Lyttelton and Te Awhina paddled, pushed and pulled; naval pinnaces scooted ': about the basin; _ purposeful seamen : handled ropes and things and at last, without a bump, the Hood was moored to special pontoons alongside the 1 ; eastern quay of-<i the ' : new Prince's Pier. The great battleship was drawing 31ft. in the basin, and stirred up a turbulence of mud..; But there was ample water" to spare.- , ' ' > \-. With' bands playing, salutes, and the tappings of r swords on teak, : the ceremonials were soon under way. When t 1 - crowd; saw the gold , braid of the admilals' ;uniforms there were rousing cheers with , three ; salvoes for the ;,.* Governor-General, who will ; continue ;to rule' the, Dominion until - November. ■ -;:Her Excellency Lady, Jellicoe was '.: the first,to goiaboard. <v She.; was '■• accompanied by ; the Hon.;; George and the • Hon: Prudence Jellicoe. The .little chap was in sailor's ■ custume and was at once taken to the heart of the ' great battleship. ;Gravely he saluted ,: the J Hood, and ?. then the ■':! glittering quarter-deck. ;Lv His graceful act?; symbolised the I feelings of f? the people. *« And a little, child shall. lead them." "' >