. The Royal Navy . and in all fired between 500 and600 rounds. During the whole period of employ-ment of this little typical contingent of the RoyalNavy, never once was it found necessary to bring aman before the commanding officer for any crime,neglect of duty, slackness, or any other offencewhatsoever, and this for a period of nearly ninemonths—a record that speaks volumes for thesuperb service to which the men belonged. Onthe Natal side the story of the Navys share in thewar is equally glorious. When Sir George Whitesappeal for naval guns came, it was the Powerfulthat carried them to Durban
. The Royal Navy . and in all fired between 500 and600 rounds. During the whole period of employ-ment of this little typical contingent of the RoyalNavy, never once was it found necessary to bring aman before the commanding officer for any crime,neglect of duty, slackness, or any other offencewhatsoever, and this for a period of nearly ninemonths—a record that speaks volumes for thesuperb service to which the men belonged. Onthe Natal side the story of the Navys share in thewar is equally glorious. When Sir George Whitesappeal for naval guns came, it was the Powerfulthat carried them to Durban, and landed thecrews that took them up country to fight they were available was due to CaptainPercy Scott, now Rear-Admiral Sir Percy , , whose ingenuity had devised amounting that enabled the long 12-pounder, the47-inch, and even the 6-inch to be used as fieldguns. Durban was reached on 29th October, andby five oclock that afternoon a Naval Brigade, A COAL HULKThe Piit, now broken up. ?w. % H NAVY OF STEAM AND STEEL 281 under the command of Captain the Hon. Hedworth Lambton (now Vice-Admiral Hon. Sir Hedworth Lambton, , ), was entraining for beleaguered Ladysmith. With them they took up two 4*7 to be mounted on wooden platforms, three long 12-pounders (12 cwts.) on Percy Scott field - carriages, one short 12- pounder (8-cwt. naval field gun), and four maxims, three on field-carriages and one on a tripod stand. With the usual luck of the Navy, the contingent arrived at the very moment it was most badly wanted. As they detrained, the Boer 6-inch, after to become celebrated throughout the siege as Long Tom of Pepworth Hill, was hurtling 94-lbs. shell close over the railway station, and in a very brief time the long 12-pounders were in action, and with such accuracy that at a third shot, at a range of between 6000 and 7000 yards, Long Tom was temporarily silenced, for that day at any rate. As Sir George White said to Captain Lambton,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectgreatbritainroyalnav
