N.M.S. “SENTINEL"

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11733, 22 January 1924, Page 5

N.M.S. “SENTINEL "

MODEL FOR NAVY LEAGUE INTERESTING CEREMONY AT VICKERS LTD. “LOYAL NEW ZEALAND.” Ever anxious to foster the sea-spirit among British people and to champion the cause of an efficient navy, the New Zealand Navy League is always grateful for any assistance in this direction, and the authorities are therefore par ticularly pleased with the gift of a magnificent model of the light eiuiser “Sentinel,” which has teen made to it by Vickers, Ltd . the great British armament firm. The model has now arrived in Wellington, and at a large-ly-attended meeting of members of the Navy League yesterday, it was formally presented to the New Zealand branch of the Navy League, through the Wellington branch, by Mr S. Blakeley, managing director of V ickers (New Zealand) Ltd. LOYALTY IN NEW ZEALAND. In making the presentation, Air Blakeley apologised for the absence of the Mayor, 'Air R. A. Wright, Hon. Sir Heaton Rhodes, Minister for Defence, Hon. 0. J. Parr, Alinister for Education, and Air R. D. McLean. The need for such models which would give people, and pal t iotilarlv the children, some idea of what the ships of ttie Navy were like, was generally recognised, and he had promised, when he was going Home 18 months ago to ask the Vickers people if they would present one of their models to the Navy League in New Zealand. Since then, one of the directors of the companv had been out to New Zealand and had been so impressed with the splendid loyalty and devotion to the Navy, that he had immediately taken steps to have the present model constructed, to be handed over with the only condition attached, that it was to be free ly exhibited to the school children. WOULD STIMULATE INTEREST IN NAVY. Tn accepting the gift on liehalf of the New Zealand Navy League, Captain T. H Chudley, chairman, thanked Mr Blakely, and through him, Messrs Vickers’ Ltd. for the model, the exhibition of which would do much to stimulate interest in the Navy. While it was true that they all hoped and prayed for the preservation of peace, they should never allow them- ! solves to be unprepared for eventualij tiee. I The model, which is on exhibition in j Messrs Vickers’ (N.Z.) Ltd.’s promises |in Woodward street, is a splendid piece of workmanship, every detail of the original being reproduced with the most minute care. The “Sentinel,’’ which saw service in the Great War. is a light cruiser of 2895 gross tons and 2790 tons displacement. She is classified as a steel protected scout, and was built by Vickers’ Ltd. at their naval construction works at Barrow in Furness. The length between the perpendiculars is 380 feet, and the moulded breadth 40 feet, while the mean draught is 13ft Bin. tier indicated horse-power is 17,000 and Insf speed 25} knots. She was paid off in April, 1919, and has since been out of commission.