Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 8 February 1905, page 7


RETURN OF H.M.S. CLIO.

FROM AN ISLAND CRUISE.

II.M.S. Clio, a screw sloop of 1070 tons, which has been employed for nearly eight months past in cruising among the islands, returned to Sydney yesterday afternoon, and moored in Fund Cove. She was only ap-pointed, to this station last year, and ar-rived, on her first visit to Sidney on May 9. The vessel remained In port until June 15, when she left, on her Island trip, which has

just been completed.

The cruise of the Clio has been of moro than ordinary interest, but accounts of her trip have from time to time appeared in the "Herald." During her cruise she visited tho Cook Islands, the Society (Tahiti) Group, Niue (Savage Islands), tho Tongan Group, New Caledonia, Now Zealand, and Fill. Some time was occupied in the earlier part of the cruise in the work of blasting boat passages through tho coral reefs at the Is-land of Niue, and also in the Cook Islands.

The Clio had a sensational experience in the terrifice gales which swept over New Zealand In October last. She was on her way from Tauranga at the time, and encoun-tered the full force of the tempest in the Cook Straits. Ono of the boats was washed out of the davits by the great seas which constantly broke over the ship, and reduced to match-wood. Many of the sails of thoe warship wore blown into shreds by the force

of the winds and carried away.

More recently the Clio paid a couple of visits to Tonga, conveying the High Commis-sioner for the Western Pacific (Mr. E. F. Im Thurn) on visits to King George, in con-nection with tho defalcations of two of the native Ministers. The facts of this dispute havo already been published In tho "Hornld," and will be fresh in the minds of our readers. The Premier and Treasurer, it will bo re-membered, were deported to Fiji, and two other appointments made. King George, who apparently was not satisfied with the new appointments, was given tho choice of accept-ing the services of the new Ministers or of being deported, and he quickly chose the former course. King George, it is said, is now taking legal advice.

The Clio left Suva on her return to Sydney on the 1st Inst., and accomplished the run across under both sall and steam. During the first 24 hours of the trip full-speed trials were made under forced draught, and a rate of between 14 and 14,5 knots was averaged. On Saturday night last the Clio encountered a heavy northerly gale, and on Monday after-noon a sudden squall from tho southward was experienced. The Clio will leave in the course of a few days to Join tho fleot at Hobart.j