"PREPARE FOR SEA."
ILEET TO SAIL TO-DAY
A MEMORABLE VISIT.
NAVAL MEN AS HOSTS.
GREAT TASK WEI,I, DONE.
SAILING ARRANGEMENTS.
DEPARTURE IN AFTERNOON.
To-day the Special Service Squadron is Hue to proceed upon its way. For over three weeks the ships have been in New Zealand waters. Each-of the other three cities has seen some of them, Auckland their, all, and although the size of tho visiting crowds has made .it an utter impossibility for individuals to make more than a casual survey, most people have seen enough to -fee! something of the meaning of the might of Britain upon the seas, to sense something of the spirit that lies behind it all. To one who saw the arrival of the Hood, Repulse and Adelaide at Wellington, and the arrival of the Delhi, Dragon and Panae at Lyttelton, and had the privilege, 80 readily available to newspaper representatives, of travelling from Wellington to Auckland on the Hood, the visit of the squadron has been more than a pageant, more than a stirring hour. One obtained a glimpse of a " fleet in being.' One saw part of the great machine at work and be it remembered that although one of the purposes of the cruise is to allow the people of the Dominions to see modern ships of several types, there is no respite in • training operations beyond what is compelled by stays in port Very Happy Memories, On the way from Wellington to Napier the Hood and the Repulse went through the arduous drill of a general action. Although shells were not fired, every movement had to be carried out. No restrictions, however, were placed upon the press representative. He was told that he was free to record everything he saw and heard, and thus found himself in a 15in. gun turret during the operation, and one of his memories of tho work was hearing an officer say " Sou were supposed to put in that connecl ion. Go through the movement of taking it out." The order gives some ■ indication of the spirit in ■which the Navy trains. And in case it might be imagined that the working Navy does not • care whether the public knows what it is about or not, it -should be recorded that one officer after another went to pains in free moments to explain and reveal. One en tertains very happy memories of a nun? ber— instance one who confided that he was a '■ dog's ; body," and that hi* would be gla'd to be of any assistance ; another of higher rank, who led an ej ploration of the mysterious depths of tin l ship when he should have been in bed; of another of still higher, rank who foam' time to expedite the despatch of a wireless message. " ' ■ Patience find Courtesy. The extreme patience and courtesy shown to representatives of the press by busy officers from the admirals downwards has made their work very pleasurable And the men and petty officers have always been perfect hosts. When crowd* have been dense they have had to act as controllers of traffic, a duty that has been most important -. since the Melbourne ep> sode, when dangerous over-crowding or j curred, but at all other times they have j been most ready to conduct people ovei' J the ship and explain its chief features j For the benefit of those who complain j that they saw little and had nothing ex-1 plained to them, it may be stated that one officer of the Hood said that he had been on her 18 months and did not yet fully understand her electric system.' On such a leviathan it is a case of every man to his own job. It is an age of specialisation in the Navy. A ship becomes a more and more intricate mass of science and invention every year, and no casual visitor can hopo to learn one-millionth part of what it all-, means. •> "Prepare lor Sea." "Prepare , for sea," then, is the general order to-day. If weather permits of tho ships getting away, the* light cruiser Delhi will be the first to leave, being timed to move from the wharf at 3.20 p.m. The other light cruisers are to be. under weigh by 3,30 p.m., and . the Delhi will lead them out of harbour. The battle cruiser Repulse will weigh at 3.40 p.m., and will proceed to sea astern of the light cruisers, but. not necessarily with them. The Hood will follow the Repul«r and the squadron will head away for an agreed rendezvous, where they will arrive at 5.45 p.m., form divisions and proceed upon their way.. The cruiser Adelaide will await tho arrival of her bunker coal. This is being brought ;to . Auckland in the steamer Karori, which vessel is due to arrive somf time to-day. After coaling, the Adelaide will. proceed, and rejoin the squadron. * At 7 a.m. to-morrow the squadron will drop anchor in the ' Bay of Islands and : remain until noon. It will be a* fia'-fra at 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday. Prince's Wharf will be open to the, public to-day, with; the exception of the berths occupied by the Hood and Delhi These berths will be thrown open at 3 p.m." Both, ships will be engaged in getting ready for sea this morning. The Pinal Sightseeing. There was no slackening of public in terest yesterday in regard to the visiting ships and their companies. H.M.S. Hood Was open to school children from 10 a.m. to noon, and to the public from 1.30 to 6 p.m On board the Repulse in the afternoon the ship's company gave an " At Home " to their friends, and, notwithstanding the inclement weather, there was a large_ attendance, the fair sex predominating. Officers and men of the squadron who have been visiting Rotorua. returned ir. the morning. , _ : . For the officers the event of the day was the dinner on board the Hood. Later came the searchlight in which *11 the vessels of the squadron took part.
The sports programme was a comprehensive one, including' shooting, golf, football and hockey. A squadron Association team played against Auckland at Victoria Park, and a Rugby match took place in the Domain between a naval earn and the Sacred Heart College. NAVY LEAGUE'S CLUB ROOM VISIT BY LORD JELLICOE. The Governor-General, Lord 'Jellicoe, }aid a visit of inspection to the Navy Hague's recreation room for the men of he Fleet, on Prince's Wharf, at 5 p.m. festerday. His Excellency was conducted !ver the shed by the president of the league, Mr. A. M. Ferguson, and showed » keen interest in all that was being done or the sailors. Lord Jellicoe spoke a few tords to the head of each department _of lie recreation room, and at the conclusion If the tour of inspection •; addressed the . porkers in a short speech, conveying to hem the keeil appreciation of Admiral field and the men of the Fleet .of the jindness and thoughtfulness of the Navy league in . providing such entertainment or them. - Cheers were ' then given for Cia Excellency.a* wmmrnL-- •; ... :mmm
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18711, 17 May 1924, Page 10
Word Count
1,178"PREPARE FOR SEA." New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18711, 17 May 1924, Page 10
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