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FAMOUS SHIPS' BELLS.
Prized Relics of the Past.
By E. R. Yarhamn.
THE bells of Britain's veteran war
ships are always regarded as his- I
torical relics, for many of them could
tell stories of dauntless courage, self
sacrifice, and victory. They are highly
prized by those who can manage to c
secure them when the old ships go out
of commission. Then the Admiralty
offers the bell for sale, and this is
eagerly snapped up by an officer. In
deed, there is always keen competition
to secure bells from warships.
Perhaps the most famous warship
bell in existence is that which was
salvaged from the ill-fated Lutine A
precedent was created the other day
when it was sung in honour of Lloyd's
Company of the London Rifle Brigade
As they marched by, the old bell rang
out.
The 32-gun frigate Lutine was sunk
off Holland in 1799. when it was carry
ing gold bars and coins-and silver as
well-to the value of about £1500.000,
probably for paying the British mili
tary force in Texel. Her bell was sal
vaged in 1859, and now hangs over the
rostrum at Lloyd's It is rung only
for the announcement of important
news-one stroke heralding bad news.
two strokes good. The sound of the
bell is always a signal for the cessation
of the hubbub of everyday business.
In Canterbury Cathedral there is a
be seen the old bell of H.M.S. Canter
bury, and, in connection with it, s
gracious custom is carried out daily.
Throughout the winter the last post is
sounded at the British memorial at
the Menin Gate, Ypres, as a memorial
to the dead of the British Army. Five
years back the bell of H.M.S. Canter
bury was placed in the cathedral of
that name and dedicated Admiral
Royds, who commanded the ship
throughout her war service, struck si
bells, and every day the bell is simi
larly struck by an old na7al man in
perpetual memory of the Royal Navy's
dead.
-a -a -a -
SOMETIMES bells are given to ships.
- For Instance, the Thames Conserv
ancy Board gave a bell to the-submarine
Thames, one of the "river" class named
after what from time immemorial have
been regarded as the four royal rivers
of the country-Thames, .,evern. Trent.
and Ouse. The then chairman, Lord
Desborough, said that, when H.M.S.
Revenge was dismantled, he was able
to secure the ship's bell .my reason of
the fact that 'he was the nearest known
descendant of the great sailor, Sir
Richard Grenville, immortal because "f
the.epic fight of "the one and the fifty
three."
The Army is proud of its drums, and
during the past year or two there has
been an interchange of drums between
British and German regiments, the
drums being returned as a mark of
honour towards brave foes Three years
back a special mission of friendship
towards the German Navy was carried
out by the British cruiser Neptune,
which sailed to Kiel to carry it out. She
took with her the ship's bell of the
former German battle-cruiser Hinden
burg, which was scuttled at Scapa
Flow after the surrender of the Ger
man Fleet to Britain. The bell. which
was placed on a special stand decor
ated with the German Colours, was
handed over to the German Naval
authorities.
Yet another famous enemy bell Is
that of the German cruiser and
noted ocean raider, the Emden. which
was sunk after a fierce battle with the
Australian cruiser Sydney. Something
of a sensation was caused in Australia
in 1933, when the bell, which was in
the Sydney War Museum, was stolen
and lost for nine months. It was
afterwards found buried in Parklands,
on the outskirts of Melbourne. The
bell is a historic war relic of priceless
value to the Commonwealth. although
it is broken and battle-scarred. for it,
represents Australia's first sea-fight,
the engagement taking place at Cocos
Island in 1914.
Information reached a Sydney news
paper as to the. whereabouts of the
bell, and a party motored to Melbourne,
dug up the trophy, and returned it to
safe custody in Sydney. After the
theft in April every effort was made
by the Commonwealth Government to
recover the bell, and the assistance of
every important police force in " the
world was sought. Three foreign ships
were searched from stem to stern, and
all vessels leaving Australia were
watched during loading.
Although a bell is cracked and battle
scarred that does not take away from
it its value [n fact. the more bat
tered a bell is the greater value it has
in the eyes of the oflicers who served
on the ship where it hung. A year or
two back a ship's bell, that of HMIS.
Danae, was disposed of, the ship being
notable for the fact that on August 11,
1918. It had the temerity to engage four
German planes, and a Zeppelin in the
bargain The airship was destroyed by
gunfire. This veteran bell had been in
so many fierce encounters that by the
time the Admiralty wanted to sell it
the bell lay cracked and toneless. Yet
the scars it bore were honourable ones.
A NOTABLE ship of the last war was
H.M.S. Centaur. which was present
at the attack on a Zeppelin. Not long
afterwards the ship was- in action
again, this time against German air-.
craft and destroyers. In August, 1917; - -
she captured four out of six German
merchant vessels that crossed her path,
and only a day or two later was in -
battle against enemy destroyers and
minelayers.
Another notable vessel was HMS.
Terrible, which was on service at Spit
head during the Diamond Jubilee Re
view of 1897. Its befl was sold a year or
two back. Not long after the review the
ship was thousands of miles away. for
it was dispatched to South Afrlca, and
the huge guns were wpred overboard
and taken up-country to assist in the
relief of 4gdysmith. during %the Boer
War- A little earlier a veteran bell was
sold from H.MS Staunch. which saw.
service in. the Far . past&. durine the
Second China War of 1857 to 1860.
Great interest attaches to any of the
bells from ships which were at sea due
ing the Great War One of these which
"'ickly found a home was on board
HMS Marlborough. This ship took,
part in the Battle of Jutland. and al
though torpedoed still fought on. A
shin which took a prominent part In
this desperate strqgeie was HMS.
Tiger the bell from this being sold a
few years ago. -
At least one naval bell has found a
home to the New World The sloop
Wistarla was paid off for scranping, but
its bell was purchased and presented to
the British -Bay Society. at New Bed
ford in the American State of Massa
chusetts This was done it ordei to
carry out the wishes'of the ship's com
nany. who rebeived much kindness .froip
the people when she visited New Bed
ford The Wistaria served on the
America and West Indies Station for
ten years.
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