AN INSPIRING SIGHT.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13744, 6 April 1915, Page 2

AN INSPIRING SIGHT.

At Malta the R.M.S. Malwa, which arrived at Fremantlo on the 10th inst., threaded its way carefully through the great French and British -fleets which were on their way to bombard the Dardanelles. This was on February 14, and the Malwa was carrying to Malta Field-Marshal Lord Methuen, who was recently appointed to the Governorship of Malta. Such an inspiring sight will never be witnessed again. On the waters of the grand harbour were floating every conceivable form of naval warfare, from a seaplane to the immensely tripoded Dreadnought. The indefatigable destroyers were in numbers, and her© and there among the great ships of war could be seen, fishing trawlers specially fitted for the work of mine-sweeping. The Malua, herself ,t magnificent specimen of a merchant craft, made her way through the steel wall. She passed about half-a-dozen French ships, the crews ,of which showed frantic enthusiasm. The sight was particularly thrilling when she came j abreast of some of the British vessels, for upwards of 1500 men crowded on the declvs of these ships and cheered. Tito guns spoke in salute.

Another fine .sight was witnessed at Gibraltar, where the Malwa passed the super-Dreadnought Queen Elizabeth. A veritable Queen Elizabeth she looked as she swung to her moorings, majestic, grand-looking, and crinolined with the terrible armaments of the latest suporDreadnought. For'ard two great loin, guns were' r statibned,^right on top of two others of the same type, and aft: were four more.

As one passenger put it, "There she. lay naked iv her warlike glory. It was a sight I shall never forget. Grey, ominous-looking, she was only suggestive of restrained might, an instant efficiency, and great capacity for annihilation. May'she prove her capacily in the Dardanelles."