THE VICTORY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16919, 19 December 1922, Page 6

THE VICTORY.

NELSON’S FAMOUS SHIP. FALLING INTO DECAY. The appeal that is made to save from destruction Nelson s renowned flagship the \ ietory, now lying half rotten at 1 ortsmonth, will go straight to the heart of English people, writes John Ley land in the “ Manchester Guard ian. Even in times of political broil thov wall remember that Nelson died on board that ship with thanks to God oil his lips that he had done his duty. Rarely has the call of duty been louder than it is to day. There are several reasons wkv we should honour, love and nreserve rh-n. Victory. She is at once i’he s.mbol nf love ot country and of duty and sacrifice in her cause. She has a loner history reaching back to Armada days in the services of predecessors of her name, whose memories she bears just a 6 truly _ re giment bears the memories of Hadajoz orf Waterloo. The si,ip for Whose security the appeal ,s made had a leconl of service and fighting ooverwent on board in 180.1. She" dea^t" at at si ss,■»«' Xekon! thou need’st not fear, thy sons and heirs ar e here RAantaufe* as the embodiment ot so much that s precious in -is meanimr to <■},««, r ri fore, though w<* preserve ! t rh ! r *“ „i T , r +i,; e f T 1 , , I,er structurally, this is not to he done merely as - "V Inuseum - a ‘t architects "t" but , as a ,hi p t,ia t stiii lives and. in the silence, speaks. HER PREDECESSORS. The first Victory of all was bought >f° the is ary and given that name—she had been built as Christopher—in 1062, and after flying the flag of Sir John Hawkins against the Armada was in Cumberland's expedition to tho Hf i‘- successor, a second-rate as designed by Plnneas Pett, and was launched at Deptford in October. 1620. After serving against Algerine pirates and protecting trade in the narrow seas, she was with the ship-ruonev fleet of Northumberland, in 1642 stood*frith till to the King, but in 3651. as Blake’s flagship in the Downs, fired the salutes for the “crowning mercy ” of Worcester m 1651. and served through all the Dutch wars.

The third Victory, built as the Royal James m 1657. a first-rate of 100 guns, alter wards named the Royal George, finally became the Victory in 1715, after undergoing much repair and pvactual reconstruction. She was at Harfleur and La Hogue, and bore the flags m later service of Berkeley, Aylmer, Shovel 1 and Munden. The fourth Victory had a tragic end. Launched at Portsmouth in 1737. she was tho flagship of Sir John Balchen in 1744. and. being separated from the fleet in r- great gale, she perished on the Caskets on Ootober 4. Of upwards of 1000 people on hoard, not one was saved. This disaster was one of the greatest shipwrecks in naval history. LAUNCHED 157 YEARS AGO. The present Victory was built at Chatham as a first-rate of 2162 tons and 104 guns, and wag launched on May i , 1765, having been about six years on the stocks. There was something defective in her construction, and when she hoisted iveppol’« flag at Spithead on April, 3 778, she had cost about £83.000. Twice, indeed, she had prac tically been rebuilt. She was in the action off Ushant. and was Sir Charles Hardy's flagship when, in September, 1779, he made his masterly retreat upCliannel before an overwhelming enemy force. She flew the flags of several other officers, and was with Darby at the relief of Gibraltar in April, 1781. She waj Kempentelt’s flagship in the decisive’action with De Guichen in December of the same year. Then she flew the flag of Lord Howe, and was again at the relief of Gibraltar and in tho action off C’ape Spartel. She was thoroughly repaired before going out to the Mediterranean as Hood’s flagship, when Nelson was under Hood's command in the Agamemnon, and Nelson knew the Victory well in all that tremendous fighting. Hood brought her home, and she was almost reconstructed. As Jervis’s flagship she was in the famous battle of St Vincent.

Nelson hoisted his flag on the Victory on May 18. 1803. Some of the most illustrious actions of his life were then behind him, and also some of its dark, est episodes, but his weaknesses were human, and he had won the love of his countrymen. They had cheered him before. Now, he said, he had their hearts. Of the blockade of Toulon with inferior force—a most remarkable and arduous service—it is not to the purpose to write here. What were his doubts and anxieties, what spirit and high discipline he gave to the fleet, how he vowed to pursue the enemy to the 'Antipodes, how he followed them to the West Indies, what were his plans, and how finally ho met and utter, lv defeated them on October 21, 1805, is in a.ll the records and histories. The Coalition was completely broken by the triumph. There is still before our eyes, as it were, the moving scene in the Victory’s cockpit, where our greatest seaman died for England. THE COST OF RESTOR ATION To save the Victory is therefore essential. She has remained in commission as flagship at Portsmouth, and *may still fly the flag. But half of her timbers are rotten. The Admiralty will provide support in the dock, but the public must do the rest. There is no intention now of restoring the bow as it formerly was. This would be too costly. What is to be done is to bring back the ship as far as may be to her appearance in Nelson’s days. The decks will be cleared and all restored, the masts and yards will be built and hung as they were, new timber will replace what is rotten, the recessed stern will be rebuilt, and tho ship will be repainted in the Trafalgar manner. For this work a sum of about £50.000 will be required. The Society for Nautical Research has been authorised by the Admiralty to raise a fund to make all plans for the restoration. The late Marquis of Milford Haven, president of the society, took the keenest interest in the work, and his successor. Admiral of the Fleet Sir Doveton Sturdee, is I prosecuting it most zealously with wide ’ support and under tbe highest auspices. The Victory is a famous ship, and we cannot suffer the shame of allowing her to perish.