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NOON POSITIONS OF H.M.A. SHIPS.
14. The following is the routine to be observed in reporting the Noon
positions of H.M.A. Ships :—
(a) As a peace-time routine, and unless otherwise ordered by the Naval
Board, the Rear Admiral Commanding or Senior Officer of a
Squadron at sea is to make his Noon position, course, and speed
by W/T to the Navy Office, Melbourne, and to the next port of
call where possible ;
(b) H.M.A. Ships and Fleet Auxiliaries at sea operating as detached
ships are to make their Noon position, course, and speed to
Navy Office, Melbourne ;
(c) Sub-paragraphs (a) and (&) above do not apply when the voyage is of
twelve hours' or less duration ;
(d) These position messages should be sent through Naval W/T
stations when in W/T touch ; otherwise they are to be sent
through the nearest coastal Radio Station of the Postmaster-
General's Department;
(e) Position messages are generally to be transmitted in plain language
unless the Rear-Admiral Commanding, H.M.A. Meet, Senior
Officer, or Commanding Officer of a detached ship considers
that the nature of the operations of the Fleet or ship are such
as to render it desirable to transmit the messages in cypher or
code.
(/) R.A.F. Auxiliaries Biloela and Kurumba are to address Noon
position messages to the Commodore Superintendent and Senior
Naval Officer, Sydney, as well as to the Navy Office ;
(g) Reports of Noon positions by W/T are to be discontinued after
warning of the imminence of war has been received by H.M.A.
Ships, and may be discontinued at any time when, in the
• • opinion of the Senior Officer present, or the Commanding Officer,
the situation is such as to make communication by W/T undesirable.
In such circumstances,, special instructions as to any
reports which may be required will be issued by the Naval
Board.
ARRIVALS OF MEN-OF-WAR
PART II.
AT AUSTRALIAN PORTS INVOLVING VISITS OF
CEREMONY.
1. The movements of Foreign Men-of-War are reported by Customs
Officers to the Navy Office, Melbourne. These officers also inform the Senior
Naval Officer of the Port at which they are stationed.
2. When visits of ceremony are involved on the arrival of a Man-of-war,
the Senior Naval Officer of the Port is to forward the following details as theV
become known to him :—
(i) Name (or names) of ship (or ships).
(ii) Expected time of arrival,
(iii) Actual time of arrival,
(iv) Expected time of departure.
(v) Berth (or berths).
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(vi) Time convenient for official calls (if requested) to the following
officials, if stationed at or in residence at his port :—
(a) Official Secretary, H.E. the Governor-General;
(6) Private Secretary, H.E. the State Governor ;
(c) Secretary, Prime Minister's Department;
(d) Secretary, State Premier ;
(e) Chief Justice of the Commonwealth ;
(/) Chief Justice of the State ; x
(g) Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, or the Mayor ;
(h) Senior Naval Officer, Afloat;
(j) Secretary, Defence Department (Military) ;
(h) Staff Officer, Base Commandant, or Senior Military
Officer;
(I) Consul for the country to which the vessel belongs (in
the case of a foreign Man-of-war).
3. At Sydney, the Commodore Superintendent and Senior Naval Officer
will carry out these duties. At all other ports the District Naval Officer or
Sub-District Naval Officer stationed at the port is responsible. ' ~1 j ^
4. The additional procedure to be observed in regard to visits of ceremony
at Port Melbourne is outlined in the following paragraphs :—
5. The Secretary of the Navy Office, Melbourne, will communicate the
expected date and time of arrival of all Men-of-war when ceremonial is involved
to the District Naval Officer, Victoria, who will make the necessary
arrangements in regard to visits of ceremony as laid down in King's Regulations
and Admiralty Instructions, Article 96, and in accordance with the
customs of the Service.
6. The District Naval Officer, Victoria, is to report by telephone to the
Navy Office the actual approach and arrival of all such Men-of-war and
also in the case of other vessels in special circumstances when visits of ceremony
are involved.
7. With reference to Article 96, paragraph (6), of the King's Regulations
and Admiralty Instructions, " The Officer in Chief Command " will be the
Naval Board, except when the flag of the Admiral or Commodore Commanding
the Fleet is flying in Hobson's Bay, in which case the Admiral or Commodore
Commanding will, for the purposes of visits of ceremony, be " The Officer in
Chief Command."
8. The officer of the guard will be detailed by the District Naval Officer,
Victoria, or the Senior Naval Officer of H.M.A. Ships present, should the latter
be senior to the District Naval Officer, Victoria.
9. Before the arrival of a foreign Man-of-war the District Naval Officer,
Victoria, will ascertain from the Navy Office by signal at what time it is desired
that the official visits should be paid and returned (King's Regulations
and Admiralty Instructions, Article 96, paragraphs (b) and (c) ), and whether
there are any special orders for the officer of the guard. The District Naval
Officer, if not at the time the Senior Officer, will be responsible that these
orders are at once communicated to the Senior Naval Officer.
10. The officer of the guard is to be instructed in accordance with the above,
and is to inform the Officer Commanding the arriving vessel, on boarding,
of the arrangements proposed with regard to the receipt and return of visits
of ceremony by the Naval Board, or the Senior Naval Officer, as the case may