Flagship; Ceremony at 11.40 This Morning Flying the pennant of Vice-Admiral Sir Perey Noble, the new Commander-in-chief of the British China Fleet, H.M.S. Cumberland, the Jagship, steamed slowly up river to he Garden Bridge shortly before 130 p.m. yesterday, swung round, and backed into position at the head of warship row, tying up at the British naval buoy. This time, tying up was not such -a tricky manœuvre as it was when the Cumber land last visited Shanghai, in October last year. On that occasion, the U.S.S. Augusta was at the head of warship row, and a French sloop anchored behind left little room for the massive bulk of the flagship to be edged into position second in line. This time, it was a comparatively simple matter to bring the flagship close to the Garden Bridge, swing her round so that her stern pointed up river, and then back her on to the naval buoy.
The Cumberland brought, on hi first visit to Shanghai since assum. ing command of the China Fleet, Vice-Admiral Sir Percy Noble. The new commander-in-chief is to come ashore officially at 1140 a.m. to-day, and he will be greeted by a guard of honour from the Durham Light Infantry after stepping ashore at the Customs Jetty. After inspecting the guard of honour,—Vice-Admiral Noble will proceed to H.M. Consulate to pay an official call on Mr. Herbert Phillips, H. M. Consul-General, returning the call which Mr. Phillips is to pay on him this morning on board the Cumberland.
The Cumberland arrived off Woosung on Monday, and anchored there for the night before coming up river to take her place in the line of warships off the Shanghai Bund.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.