Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, May-Jun 1965 - Navy League of Australia

QUARTERLY REPORT OFPROCEEDINGSReport of activities and traininglor the A.S.C.C. NSW Divisionlor the quarter ending 31stMarch, 1965.The first Air Badge Coursewas held in H.M.A.S. ALBA­TROSS during January, and wasmost successful. At the sametime other Cadets carried out aSeamanship Course in this establishment.During the samemonth continuous Training alsotook place in H.M.A.S. PEN­GUIN. WATSON and CRES-WELL. Owing to Elect commitments,only one period of trainingwith the Fleet could he carriedout and this was in H.M.­A.S. YARRAA small detachment of Sea Cadets,unarmed, took part in theAustralia Day March and Ceremony.The new Unit named T S.PARRAMATTA received OfficialRecognition on I Oth February,1965. and at present has44 Cadets on strength.The Captain H.M.A.S. RUSH-CUTTER, representing the FlagOfficer in Charge East AustraliaArea, commenced the 1965 AnnualInspections on 13th February,when T.S. SYDNEY atSnapper Island was inspected.The annual swimming carnivalwas held in H.M.A.S. PENGUINon Saturday, 20th February, andwas most successful and wellsupported by the whole of theNSW. Division of the A.S.C.C.Rear Admiral H. A. Showers,C.B.E.. President of The NavyLeague of Australia, presentedthe Trophies and Medals. Theformer included a Cup donatedb\ a Mr. Fowler of the WesternService Station, Rozelle. and asthis gentleman was a spectatorat the Carnival, he was asked bythe Admiral to present the trophy.In addition, Mr. Fowlerpresented to the winning Unit acheque for £5/-/-.12Lt.-Com. MACKAY-CRUISER.A.N.R.CABLE(Continued fromThe modern MONARCH.gross tonnage 8.432, is steamdriven. She was the biggest cabllship in the world but theGermans now have NEPTUNE,12.000 ions (though she carriesordinary cargo between times)and a new ship larger thanMONARCH is being built inthe United States. CS. MER­CURY. Cable and Wireless' firstlaying ship is now—since shewis remodelled to lay telephonecables—of 8.962 gross tonnageand is dicsel-elcctrie driven. Amodern cable ship's cost mayrun into millions. CS. MER­CURY, for example, cost £2million and curries equipmentvalued at more than £2! million.Each of the forty-eight repeatersshe can carry costs£20.000.In naval parlance a cable shipis a 'tight' ship—os as one veterancommander mildly put it."there's not much room in it"—because of the space needed forcable tanks and the large quantityof laying equipment as wellas radar and wireless she has tocarry. She may have to carry 100or more crew as well as supernumeraries.Nevertheless, cable ships arewell up to standard for accommodationof crew and amenities.Every public room in shipswhich may work in tropicalwaters is airconditioned. WhenHMTS MONARCH, which hasa crew of 136 with additionalaccommodation for supernumeraries,was remodelled, the capacityof her dining and smokerooms was extended. She has afully equipped hospital, severalmechanised laundry units, library,recreation room and canteen.CS. MERCURY now has a newtype of plant for distilling seawater invented by a Cable andSHIPSprevious issue IWireless engineer, G. S. Kitching.Tests on prototype equipmentin another ship working inthe West Indies showed thatFresh water can be made at 1 9a ton with a daily consumptionof logons. In a ship like MER­CURY with a sea endurance of60 days and a steaming rangeof K.IHX) miles—this year, layingtwo-fifths of COMPAC, shewill have to make three roundtrips between London and thePacific, travelling altogethersome 60,000 mifes — plentifulfresh water is a godsend to thecrew. The new equipment maybe installed on all British cableships. MERCURY'S pantry anddeep freeze will carry twomonths supply of food—includingfor Christmas, 400 lb. ofturkey and 1,600 lb. of otherpoultry.Lecturing in 1938 to engineers,a cable man summed upvividly the work of the cableships and her sailors. "Whetherit be under tropical sun or by arclamp at midnight in the NorthAtlantic, these men hold thestage in the last act while theship is "nursed" over the hangingcable, waiting to deliver upto the waves her latest contributionin the service of mankind.The splice is lowered gentlyover the bows and held by thesuspension rope. A sharp commandis heard "cut"—two axeswielded simultaneously by menin the autumn of their experienceat this serious game, cleave theropes and the bight falls to itsresting place on the seabed. Thefinal splice is lipped: the ritualis over. Thus another link isforged in the world's chain ofcommunications. Wireless messagesfrom shore report the newcable O.K. So to the saloon forthe appropriate celebrations.THE NAVYuAlways ask for»»#»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»#»»»##»»»»,."OCEAN" TABLE SALTA Product of Sea and SunshineI lb PACKETS PLAIN OR IODIZEDAT GROCERS EVERYWHEREDistributors:OCEAN SALT PROPRIETARY LTD.70 Pill Strict. SydneyPhone 28-9252 Order No. 28-3429O+*+»O»»»»—»O*0»*+**»+*»**+*»**o»**»«+**V}BEGG&GREIGPTY.LTD.MARINE. GENERAL & ELECTRICALENGINEERS20 ERSKINE STREET, SYDNEYPhone: 29-1208 Phone: 29-7087After Hours:D. W. REED JW 4095C. D. WILKS 44-595924 Hour Service in following Trades:Boiler Makers, Fillers, ElectriciansMachinists, Plumbers and Coppersmiths,Shipwrights and Joiners,Painters and Dockersl"W*»*o++*+»**+~*******++***•ENGINEERING FOR EXPORTNOT ONLYFOR AUSTRALIA"A STRIDE AHEAD"Challenging jobs requiring engineering skill aswell as metal fabricating experience eome toWalkers. They may be projects involving massivesize ... or the design and manufacturenf precision machinery.Machinists — Coppersmiths — Brass Finishers— Sugar Mill Engineers — Designers andBuilders of Locomotives (Diesel or Steam) —Boilermakers and Structural Engineers — Shipand Small Craft Builders — Forge Masters —Blacksmiths — Steel Founders (since 1911) —Iron Founders — Non-Ferrous Founders.11 il Kl us I mil I l>Surrey Vessel built for the Philippines Navy andpresented by the Commonwealth Governmentunder the S.E.A.T.O. aid programme.MARYBOROUGH ANDMACKAY, Q'LAND.