Royal Arthur at Jervis Bay - 1900

H.M.S Royal Arthur put into Jervis Bay on the morning of 13th December 1900,  She was carrying  the first Governer General of Australia, Lord Hopetoun who was on his way to Sydney.  The Royal Arthur had made good time coming along the coast. The N.S.W Premier was sent a message from the lighthouse-keeper at Jervis Bay stating that the warship entered the bay at about 10a.m. She will remained in the bay until Saturday morning,  giving her time to reach Port Jackson Heads about 10.a.m. An official welcome, including a street procession,  was planned for Lord Hopetoun when he reached Sydney. H.M.S Royal Arthur was the new flagship for the Australian station,  replacing the Orlando.  She was a first-class twin-screw cruiser of 7700 tons,  and was built at Portsmouth.  340ft in length, and 60ft in beam,  with a draught of 28ft 9 inches.  Her indicated horse-power was 12,000 with forced draught,  and 7500 with natural,  giving a speed of 20 and 18 knots respectively,  her coal accommodation was equal to 10.000 knots at 10 knots an hour. Her armament consisted of one 9inch 22 ton gun, twelve 6 inch quick firing guns, twelve 6-pounders,  and seven machine guns,  besides four Whitehead torpedo tubes. She was a remarked improvement on the aging Orlando,  both in regards to size and equipment.

Lord Hopetoun. Was a British aristocrat, politician and colonial administrator. He is best known for his brief and controversial tenure as the first Governor-General of Australia. When he became Governor-General, he was 40 years old and he remains the youngest person to have held that office; he is also the shortest-lived, dying at the age of 47. REF: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hope,_1st_Marquess_of_Linlithgow

Continue reading about the Orlando and it’s connection to Jervis Bay.