NAVAL COURTESIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26776, 20 May 1948, Page 7

NAVAL COURTESIES

TRADITIONAL EXCHANGE

ARRIVAL OF FRENCH SLOOP

P.A. AUCKLAND, Maj 19. A 21-gun saluie was one ui d number of traditional naval courtesies exchanged when the French colonial 1 sloop Dumont d'Urville arrived in Auckland yesterday from her Pacific base at Tahiti. The ship immediately entered the Calliope docK, at me Devonport naval base, and after the cleaning and inspection of her hull and underwater fittings, she will leave for Noumea on Saturday. With a displacement of 1969 tons, the broadly-built sloop is one of a small class of ships that was designed particularly for tropical service. She left France in December, 1946, on her present commission, and after taking part in the French operations against the Viet Nam rebels in Indo-China, she arrived at Papeete in June, 1947. The ship has a complement of 12 officers and 160 men. Most of the seamen are long-service ratings in the French Navy, but a few are youths belonging to French fishermen families who are serving their - period cf national training with the nava. forces. The crew also includes six Tahitians, who as full French citizens are now eligible for service in foreign-going French warships. In Auckland, some of these men will be seeing a city for the first time.

Officers of the Dumont d'Urville were the guests of the officers of H.M.N.Z.S. Philomel at mid-day, and a cocktail party was given in their honour in the Bellona to-night. A dance was also arranged for the ship’s company, and a Mayoral reception is to be held in honour of Captain de Fregate Gautier to-morrow.