WARSHIPS IN PORT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19761, 12 April 1926, Page 13

WARSHIPS IN PORT.

DUNEDIN AND DIOMEDE. CRUISERS REMAIN FOR A WEEK. His Majesty's warship Dunedin, flagship of the New Zealand Naval Division, and I 11.M.5. Diomede arrived at Dunedin os' Saturday afternoon. The Dunedin was the first to enter port. She was berthed at the Rattray street wharf at 1.30 p.m., and the Diomede was moored at the same wharf half an hour later, the warships being assisted to their berths by the tug Dunedin. A large crowd assembled on the wharf, and the crew of the Dunedin renewed acquaintances with scores of citizens. The bauds of both ships played several selections while the cruisers were being berthed OFFICERS AND CREWS WELCOMED About id.oU p.m. the Mayor (Mi H. L. lapley, M.i J .;, accompanied Dy members ot the Civic Reception Committee, tvir J Loudon (chairman of the tearoom Hoard), .Ur d. Sutherland Ross (chairman of directors of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition), Capti/m T. M. Satterthwaite and Captain F. D. Hunt (representing the Defence Department), Colonel JCugene O’Neill, C.M.0., D.S.O. (representing the Otago Olhcers’ Club), Mr F. Anderson (president ot the Returned Soldiers Asso elation), and Mr J. M. White (secretary) boarded tne Dunedin and exchanged greetings with Commodore Real and his officers. The Mayor, in extending a welcome on behalf of the citizens, said it was hoped that the officers and men of both ships would enjoy their short visit. The Mayor and his party then boarded the Diomede and in a brief speech of wel come to Captain J. S. M. Ritchie, his officers, and men, Mr Tapley touched briefly on the fact that Captain Ritchie was an old Dunedin boy. He hoped that the ship’s company would have a pleasant time during their visit to Dunedin, which held a world-wide reputation for its hospitality, especially to the men serving in the ships of his Majesty's navy. Mr Loudon (chairman of the Dtago Harbour Board) also spoke briefly, and wel coined Captain Ritchie and his ship’s com-

Captain Ritchie, in reply, said he was naturally delighted to return to his home town, from which he had oeen absent a long time. The naval authorities at Home had been very considerate, as they had given him command of a very tine ship, and he and his company had receive ) a very warm welcome in every port they had' so far touched in the Dominion. They were all determined to work hard and make a name for the ship. ft was pleasing to record that when carrying out general exercises recently in the Hauraki Gulf the Diomede came out on top with an advantage of 50 points, beating the Dunedin, and the Australian cruisers, Sydney, Adelaide, and Delhi. Ih.’s was a good start in the way of making a name for the Diomede. He had a tine lot or officers and,a splendid company of men hut it was to be hoped that the citizens would not give the men too good a time as they all had important work to do. A programme of enterifainment has been arranged for the crews of both ships. and officers and men will, no doubt, spend a very pleasant time during their stay here.

D CLASS CRUISERS. The Diomede and Dunedin arc almost identical. They have each a displacement of 4750 tons, a length of 445 ft, beam of 40ft Gin, draught of 14ft 3in, 40,000 li.p.. oil-burning engines, and a speed of 20 knots. Each has six Oin guns and TJ torpedo tubes, but the secondary armament of the Diomede is slightly heavier than that of the Dunedin, with two 4in guns instead of two Sin. Some of the smaller guns, it is understood, are antiaircraft armament. The oil fuel tanks of each have a capacity of 1050 tons. Their ollicial designation is “protected light cruiser,’’ and each has 3in armour and gun shields. The cost of each was between £BOO.OOO and £900,000. A total of 4(50 is the official complement of each ship. The Dunedin was completed in 1919 and the Diomede, in 1922. The D class cruisers came into being to meet a need in the Great War. A heavier type than

C class was called for in 1916 to counter the new cruisers Germany was building. Seeing that the battle cruisers of Germany remained very strictly “at home,” not attempting to break into the Atlantic to raid the water highways that carried food, munitions, and troops, the British battle cruisers continued to be part of the Grand Fleet—to be in readiness to deal with any movement of the enemy battlecruisers. It was left to lighter cruisers to maintain the blockade and escort troopships and merchantmen. However, none of the D class could be completed in time to perform any war service of importance, but they came from the stocks in time to replace a number of ships that had been practically worn out by the long struggle. A FIXE SEA SHIP. Soon after the trials of the Diomede she became a unit of the sth Cruiser Squadron in the China Sea. where she m;ule ; , a reputation ; a wonderful “sea ship.” Like other ships of the class, she has trawler bows and ships little water in heavy weather. In the bows she carries a gun capable of firing at a very high trajectory. She has five sets of \vn eless, and a wireless telephone equipment useful up to a distance of two miles. July last she was recalled from the China Station, and refitted at Portsmouth, where her building was completed in 1922. She is the first New Zealand warship to use the Panama Canal. The Chatham came out via Suez, and the Dunedin via the Cape. En route from England to Auckland she called at Bermuda, Kingston (Jamaica), Colon, Balboa. San I cdro (California), Honolulu, and Suva.

DCXEDIX’S OFFICERS. The officers of H.M.S. Dunedin are— Commodore Alister V. Beal. C.M.G.; Commanders Arthur M Peters. D.S.C., Anhui K. I'arquhar, D.S.C. ; Lieutenant-Com-manders Roger P. Selby, Prancis 11. M n U « l i r i lan, r • ilU(^e Graham-Watson, D.a.U.; Lieutenants Joim 11. Venville. Ihomas B H. \\ oodrooffe, Walter R. M a r. shall A Deane; Engineer Commander Frederick W. G. Smith; Engineer Lieut.* Commander Percy C. Alumo; Captain (R.AI.) John A. Barth, D.S.C.; Surgeon Commander Sheldon r. Dudley ORF AI.D., D.P.H. ; Paymaster Commander Boot go A. Cooke (on leave); Paymaster Lieutenants Charles R. V Gibbs, Raymond \r'i *I 1 * Commissioned Gunner Henry Melville: Commissioned Shipwright Samuel o . eerllan » Gunners Richard H. Shipcott, Keg in ald J. .Maunder; Warrant Engineers William J. Stacey. Laurence V. Edwards: Schoolmaster Leonard A. Kew

DIOMEDE'S OFFICERS. Captain Janies S. M. Ritchie, who commands the Diomede,, is a New Zealander and a member of a well-known Dunedin family. lie has with him Commander J. 11. Godfrey, Engineer Commander I*'. M. Jones, Surgeon Commander G. D. Macintosh. Paymaster Lieut.-Commander W. M. Hawkes, Lieutenant-Commander H. A. Rowlev. Lieutenant H. Litigat'd (gunnery). Lieutenant S. L. Bateson (torpedo) Lieutenant R. I-limter-lilair. D.S.C., Lieutenant R- Fotliergill. Lieutenant V. F. Boyle, .Captain S. Selby Tupnen (Royal Marines). Engineer-Lieutenant J. V. Shaw, SnbLieutenant II Li. C. Holmes, Commis--miied Gunner 11, A. Haynes C'tnniissioned Gunner 'J. Lynch (torpedo). Commissioned Engineer E. E. Wellman. D.S.C., Commissioned Gunner W. 11. Pilbeam, Commissioned Engineer W. R. Boston. D.S.M.. Warrant Shipwright H. M. Hay. Schooimastor J. Martin. Paymaster • SuhLienfenant D. Fv. Winslow. The ship's complement consists of 460 of all ranks. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE. t Captain James S. M. Ritchie is (h e first ; Xew Zealander to be appointed to the 1 command of a British warship in Dominion ' waters. Ho attended school in Dunedin ' and afterwards at Wanganui College. He 1 joined the Navy in May. 1899. With the exception of his service on the Australian station ns a midshipman in 11.M.5. Royal Arthur from 1901 to 1905 he has spent all his time in ships in British waters. 1 with the Atlantic Elect, and one eommis- ( slon in China ami one in the Mediter- ‘ cancan. During (he war he was gunnery ’ officer of the St. Vincent, and later of the Iron Duke. After that he was Executive * Commander of the Malava. From 1911 1 191 s he n- ;, h the Plans Division of 1 the Admiralty. He was gazetted rom- * mender in I£l6. and captain in December. ' 1923 FUTURE. MOVEMENTS. 1 The warships will leave Dunedin for * the north on April 19. c