H.M.A.S. MELBOURNE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18464, 27 January 1922, Page 2

H.M.A.S. MELBOURNE

REVISED. ITINERARY,

(Per -United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 26. The following is the revised itinerary of H.M.A.S. Melbourne: Arrived Auckland January 24, to depart January 28. Arrive Wellington January 30, depart February 3. Arrive Lyttelton February 4, depart February 7. * Arrive Dunedin February 8,: depart February 32. IN AID OF THE ORPHANAGES. ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMMES ARRANGED. The Mayor of the City (Mr J. S'. Douglas) yesterday received the following telegram' from tho Minister of Defence:—“ In reference to my letter of January 16, owing to delay in tho arrival in the dominion of H.M.A.S. Melbourne, her programme has necessarily been revised as follows: —Arrive Lyttelton’ February / 4: leave February 7. and arrive Dunedin February 8.” The Mayor forwarded invitations to RearAdmiral Dumaresq (of the Melbourne) and Commodore Hotham (commander of the Chatham) inviting their presence and that of as many members of the crews "as could bo spared at the trotting meeting at Forbury in aid of the funds of the orphanages on February 8. The Mayor yesterday received tho following reply from RearAdmiral Dumaresqln answer to your invitation to take part in carnival (orphanage benefit), I can arrange tug-of-war between Warship Melbourne and warship Chatham, also field gun display. If you can supply hall and advertisements a boxing tournament between two ships can take place, to last two hours. Ship will conie right up to Dunedin.” The field gun display and the tugs-of-war will ho of interest to many, and the trotting meeting is certain to be strongly supported. The finals of the tug-of-war and the boxing contests will take place In the Drill Hall, Kensington, at night, when a promenade concert will also be held. Glove contests between members of the crews of warships always protide clever and dean displays of boxing. A meeting of the committee will be held this afternoon to make arrangements for the events promised by Admiral Dumaresq. THE VISITING CRUISER. SIMILAR TO THE CHATHAM. RECORD OF WAR SERVICE. The Melbourne, which has a displacement of SiX,O tone, is one of the four ngnt cruisers comprising the Melbourne class, her sister snips Doing tbe Sydney, the lirhibcuie, and tne Adelaide. Sue was laid down at the Oammell-Laird yards in April, 1911, and completed in June, 1913. The vessel has on overall length of 466 6-6 ft, a. beam ot 49 5-6 ft, and a mean draught of 16-Jft, Her Parsons turbine engines of 22,000 h.p. give a speed of 24.76 knots. She carries eight 6in gun®, one 13-pounder anti-airoraft gun, four 3-pounders, four macnine guns, and two 21in submerged torpedo tubes. She has a 2in armour belt amidships, and a 2in plate on the deck slopes, while internal protection is secured by longtitodinal and transverse bulkhead!), and a double bottom extending over the magazine and machinery spaces. The conning tower is replaced by a revolving platform, capable of carrying a small aeroplane or seaplane. The Melbourne carries a normal complement of 376, whale it is interesting to note that the Melbourne class is of 'practically the same design as the British Chatham class, though the {former has a slightly larger tonnage. ' The Melbourne took an active share in the naval operations during the war of 1914-10, serving in the North Sea for the greater part of tbe time. With H.M.A.S. Australia, she was included in -the escort with the New, Zealand advance ; guard on the latter portion of the voyage to Samoa, in August, 1914. When the ■ convoy carrying the Main Body of P the Australian and the New Zealand' troops to the scene of the European’ operations, was formed, Captain Silver, of ;the Melbourne, was placed in command of the whole convoy. As the vessels neared . the Cocos-Keoiing Islands, in the f lnjiian, Ocean, a wireless message waa received'’by Captain Silver to the effect, that warship -was oil..the harbous»*entrance at-Cocos. This vessel, was the! Ger 7 man raider Emdon. Captain Silver ‘denied to himself and his men on (board the Mol'bpurne the privilege of dealing with the notorious raider, and at 6.30 a.m. on November ’9, the cruiser Sydney, in command of 'Captain J. O. T.. Glossop, was detailed to engage tbe Emden. In Captain Silver’s judgment,-.the Sydney was the more suitable ship, and the Melbourne remained with - her oonvoy until the light waa bon-' eluded. On the occasion of the entry under British escort of the surrendered German fleet into the Firth of Forth on November 21, 1918. tlie Melbourne was one of the vessels in the second light cruiser squadron. THE SENIOR OFFICERS. . THE REAR-ADMIRAL’S CAREER v SAILOR AND INVENTOR Rear-Admiral John Saumarez Dumaresq, A.D.C., C. 8., M.V.0., fleet commander of the Australian navy, flies his flag aboard H.M.A.S. Melbourne. He was appointedto his present position on March 22, 1919, with the rank of captain (commodore, Ist class), and promoted rear-admiral in H.M. fleet while holding his present appointment on Juno 15, 1921. Rear-Admiral Dumaresq, who was born at Glen Innes, New South Wales, in 1873, is described as an officer of the highest attainments, who has invented and introduced into tho Royal Navy, which he entered in 1886, several of the moot important instruments connected with fire control. Ho was formerly a torpedo specialist. He has had a very considerable experience in command of capital ships of the navy, including H.M.S. Shannon in tho_ battle of Jutland. For his work in this engagement, he was made a Companion of the' Order of the Bath. After Jutland,_ he_ expressed a desire to gain experience in light cruiser warfare, and at hi® request was appointed to H.M.A.S. Sydney, which he commanded for nearly two years. In the meantime, he was promited by the Admiralty to be second in command of the light cruiser Succeed, and during the absence of the flag officer he held command. While H.M.A.S. Sydney was being refitted Rear-Admiral Dumaresq took command of H.M.S. Repulse (25,750 tons, 10 15in guns), one of the latest and largest of the battle cruisers, then flying the flag of Rear-Ad-miral PhilUmore. While in'command of H.M.S. Repulse, he took part in the. battle of Heligoland in November, 1917, ore of the most successful minor actions in tho North S'X. COMMANDER OP THE WARSHIP. HOLDER OF FRENCH DECORATION. Commander W. Ward-Hunt, 8.N., D. 5.0., who is in command of the Melbourne, has been lent to the Australian navy, but he is shortly to join the China squadron. After the battle of Jutland, he commanded British and French submarine flotillas in the Mediterranean Sea, and for hia services he received the French decoration, the Chevalio legion d’honneur with rosette..