FRENCH WARSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19511, 15 December 1926, Page 14

FRENCH WARSHIP.

ARRIVAL OF CASSIOPEE. A THREE MONTHS* CRUISE. VESSEL TO DOCK TO-MORROW. The French warship Cassiopee, which visited Auckland last February, again made her appearance in ' port yesterday. She is on a three months' cruise of NewZealand and Australian waters, and will remain in Auckland! for eight days, during which time she will go into dock for cleaning - and painting. On arrival from Noumea at 10.30 a.m., a salute of 21 guns was fired by the warship as she came round North Head, and the New Zealand ensign was flowrr irom her masthead. The salute was returned by the battery at Fort Cautley, and the French ensign was displayed at the signalling station. When the warship approached the units of the New Zealand Squadron berthed afc Devonport, the commodore was saluted by 11 guns. This salute was to have been returned by the flagship, H.M.S. Dunedin, but as that vessel was moored inside H.M.S. Diomede, the salute was returned by the latter vessel instead. Altogether 64 guns were fired before the Cassiopee came to her anchorage in the stream. After receiving a call from the French consul, M. Paul Serre, the commander of the Cassiopee, Captain J. Decoux, called upon Commodore G. T. C. P. Swabey on the Dunedin. The call wa3 subsequently returned by Commodore Swabey and his staff. The compliments of the Harbour Board were also conveyed to the French commander by the harbourmaster, Captain H. H. Sergeant. To-day Captain 'Decoux will call upon the Governor-Qreneral, Sir Charles Fergusson, the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, representatives of the Harbour Board, and the Commandant o:t the Northern Command, Colonel H. R. Potter. Since her last visit to Auckland, the Cassiopee has been engaged in ordinary patrol duty among the French possessions in the Pacific. The only incident out of the usual routine was' the assistance rendered by the warship t,o M. Alaine Gerbault, who is voyaging round the world in the yacht Firecrest. About six months ago this little vessel went ashore in a gale at Wallis Island, a French possession, after having voyaged from France, via Panama, Gambier, and other islands in the Low Archipelago, and the Marquesas. The Cassiopee was asked to go to M. Gerbault's assistance when in the vicinity of Wallis Island, and she was able to effect repairs to the yacht's hull, which had been severely damaged. The yacht was thus able to prweed on its way, and was again met by the warship while cruising in the Society Group. The Cassiopee s officers reported yesterday that the yacht is now at Suva, and that she will proceed on her voyage by ■ way of Torres Strait and Java. i A number of the Cassiopee's officers i have returned to France since the warship was here last, and others are to go when she reaches Australia. Their places will be filled by a new detachment arriving from France by the liner Ville d'Amiens. The Cassiopefe will go into dock tomorrow'. She 'is due at Dunedin on December 27, and will stay there for seven or eight days before sailing for Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.,