THE ROYAL NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22733, 20 May 1937, Page 11

THE ROYAL NAVY

SPITHEAD REVIEW ALL SHIPS IN POSITION FIVE LINERS FOR GUESTS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright British Wireless ' RUGBY. May IS Practically all the units of the Home Fleet and foreign warships have taken up their positions at Spithead, and is thronged with naval men of 14 nationalities. Five passenger liners will be used to accommodate the official guests of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for the naval review by the King on Thursday. TIIO liners will follow the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert in her progress through the moored men-of-war, and will anchor afterward near her at the head of the lines. This position will enable their occupants to havo an excellent view of the movements of the Fleet.

For the naval review to-day six battleships will be anchored off Southend, at the mouth of the river, and between Gravesend and the Pool of London cruisers, destroyers, submarines and other vessels will be berthed. Near London Bridge some of the smaller vessels will be moored. The ships to take part in this Coronation river parade will be: — Battleships.—Nelson, .Rodney, Royal Sovereign, Ramillies, Royal Oak and Resolution. Aircraft - carriers. Courageous and Furious. Cruisers. —Southampton, Newcastle and Cairo. Netlayer.—Guardian. Escort Vessel. —Fleetwood. Submarine depot ship Lucia and five submarines. One flotilla leader and nine destroyers. The Nelson is the flagship of Admiral Sir Roger Backhouse, Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, the Royal Oak flies the flag of Rear-Admiral C. G. Ramsay, second-in-command, and _the Courageous is the flagship of ViceAdmiral N. F. Laurence, commanding the aircraft-carriers.

The cruisers Southampton and Newcastle are the latest additions to the Navy, and the public will be seeing them for the first time. They are the first British cruisers to be designed with aircraft hangars, and each carries three seaplanes. In addition to her other equipment, the Guardian lias a complete cinematographic plant for recording fleet manoeuvres and the effects of gunner}' practice. The liners which conveyed visitors to London for the Coronation have been given mooring facilities in the Thames between Gravesend and London Bridge. It is roughly estimated that as many as 10,000 Coronation visitors may be accommodated afloat in the Port of London. Mooring accommodation is to be arranged between Greenwich and Chelsea for a considerable number of privately-owned yachts. The Cunard-White Star liners Aquitania and Lancastria are to be present at Spithead for the review. There are to be gala dinners and dances on board both liners.

CORONATION BALL DUKE OF SUTHERLAND KING AND QUEEN PRESENT LONDON, May IS Their Majesties were present at the Duke of Sutherland's Coronation ball to-day in Hampden House, Mayfair. This is the first time since before the Great War that a reigning King and Queen hare attended a private dance.

Queen Mary, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, King Farouk and the Queen Mother of Egypt, most of the other visiting Royal personages, High Commissioners and Dominion Prime Ministers were also among tho 1000 guests.

George Granville Sutherland-Levcson-Gower, fifth Duke of Sutherland, who was born in 1888, has been an UnderSecretary of State for Air, having filled that role in the Ministry of 1922-24. He succeeded his father at the age of 25. During the Great War ho was a commander, Royal Navy Reserve, in the North Sea, then went with the British Military Mission to Belgium in 1914-15, and later in 1915 went to the Adriatic, where he commanded the motor-boat flotillas until 1917. After the war the Duke entered politics and became Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1921, UnderSecretary for Air in the following year, and later Lord High Commissioner for Scotland, Paymaster - General and Under-Secretary for War. In 1922 he became president of the Air League of the British Empire. His interest in Empire defence is attested by the fact that he has been president of the Navy League and was vice-president and later became chairman of the Royal Aero Club. The Duke has four addresses, a house at Guildford, one in Surrey, Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, and the House of Tongue, Sutherland. He has been grand prior of the Primrose League. KING AND QUEEN empire day service ST. PAUL'S ON MONDAY British Wireless KUGBI, May 18 The King and Queen will attend a service in St. Paul's Cathedral next Mondav Empire Day. Twenty-one other members of the Royal Family will also be present, and the congregation will include practically all the members of the Cabinet and nearly 2000 Empire representatives and overseas visitors.