Catholics and the Navy

New Zealand Tablet, 5 June 1913, Page 47

Catholics and the Navy

The Christchurch Catholic Club entertained on© night recently at a smoke concert about sixty men from H.M.S. New Zealand, also a number of men from H.M.S. Pyramus. Sir George Clifford presided. In welcoming the visitors, Sir Georg© Clifford made a particularly happy speech that was punctuated with hearty applause (says the Press) . He said that when he was asked to preside, he tried to trace any special connection he had had with the Navy, and could not do so until he went back to the days of Queen Elizabeth. ‘ At that time a namesake of mine, George Clifford, fitted out three expeditions of adventure—and I fear plunderto go to the Spanish main,’ said Sir George. ‘And he was successful— far as the plunder went. But when he returned to England the Queen claimed everything that he had; all his plunder went to the State. But he was on© day rewarded by the Queen taking off one of her gloves and giving it to him to wear in his hat.’ Though this was all he got for his adventure, George Clifford fought for his Queen as commander of the good ship Bonaventure against that very ill-advised enterprise the Armada, and other Catholics of the day also equipped and commanded ships to fight for England against the Armada. Considering that the Catholics of that day did not have much reason to love the then reigning Queen, the part they played in repelling the Armada spoke volumes for their patriotism, and Catholics of to-day were second to none in their loyalty to the King and the Empire. New Zealand sent large cargoes of mutton, lamb, and other produce to England, and in return gold was received, though it might be in different forms. The Navy was necessary to protect the produce and the gold *nd the Navy to-day was just as efficient and powerful a protection of the Empire as it ever was, as -powerful as any other navy in the world. New Zealand and the Mother Country had every reason to be proud of and grateful to the men who preserved the peaceful security in which we lived. " V

An enjoyable musical programme was then carried out, items being given by Messrs. McDonald (2), A. W. Bunz, T. Rowe, Rennell, G. Hayward, Maloney, and Luks and Seaman Barry and Cook Kennedy. . After the toast of the ‘Pope and the King,’ the spiritual and temporal heads, 'was proposed by the chairman, and duly honored. Mr. E. L. McKeown proposed ‘Our guests.’ In reply Chief Petty Officer Sweeney said that during the twenty years he had been in the Service he had visited most parts of the world, but he had always looked forward to coming to New Zealand. The gift of the battleship by New Zealand was an eye-opener to the world. It was a great thing for such a small country as New Zealand to do. No doubt the people here would like to see a battle squadron visit New Zealand, but it ‘ doesn’t do ’ for a squadron to be far away from where it was wanted. Their Navy was not on show. It was a ‘ silent Navy.’ H.M.S. New Zealand was a fine ship, worthy to take her place with the best in the battle cruiser line, and everything on board was up to-date, and although she was now on exhibition to those who had presented her, and therefore a show ship, the daily work was carried on to keep the ship’s company as efficient as the ship.