A MIMIC ENGAGEMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144146, 16 July 1913, Page 7

A MIMIC ENGAGEMENT.

The “star” attraction at the Imperial Services’ Exhibition now being Bold at Bari’s Court, London, is a naval spectacle on a scale more complete than has ever before been attempted. On tho shore of a miniature sea is built a miniature city, with wharves, warehouses, palaces, churches, and villas, and crowned with fortified heists. To this city comes the British Fleet on a mission of destruction. Its advent is heralded by an air-scout, which is seen soaring above the forts. Tho enemy’s garrison is alort, and shells fly upward in vain attempts to disable- the spying monoplane, which is calmly noting tho defences of tho fort and counting tho guns in position, before returning at a somewhat increased altitude to the waiting fleet at sea. Destroyers sail out of the harbour to discover that a British blockade has boon formed, and that one of their own cruisers, the Niobe, is boing chased by tho English cruisers Queen Mary and Now Zealand. A rain of shells sinks tho Niobe just as she almost roaches tho safety of tho harbour. The British shells set fire to wharves and shipping; mines are exploded, warships torpedoed, and airships belonging to tho enemy destroyed by guns on tho decks of tho British cruisers. In tho end tho flag in the enemy’s citadel is hauled down, and tho city is in British hands. Tho lesson to bo learned from tho battle is that tho city relied too much on its fortifications, and that tho host way to stave off a naval attack is with a fleet. Tho warships used in tho battle were most carefully made, so as realty to bo warships in miniature. The battleships are twenty-five feet, and the destroyers twelve feet long, and each vessel carries a real crow, which, under cover, operates the electrical machinery driving tho ship, and fires real guns. The vessels were put through their paces on the river at Southampton before tho builders sent them to London, and tho people of the inland town witnessed tho extraordinary sight of a fleet of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers going through evolutions, firing at an imaginary enemy, and putting out torpedo nets. The ships are stoutly as well as ingeniously built, for some of them have to suffer appalling “damage” throe times a day by bombs dropped from aeroplanes. The idea is an ingenious and useful one, and tho carrying of it into effect must have entailed an immense amount of work. Tho spectacle should greatly stimulate interest in tho Navy.