3.
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"Cornflower" was formally handed over by Commodore F. Elliott O.B.E., R.N. to the Commanding Officer of the Force on 31st March, 1934.
On 17th April, 1934, the Commander-in-Chief, China Station, Admiral Sir Frederic Charles Dreyer, K.C.B., C.B.E., visited the Force in their ship in the basin of the Royal Naval Dockyard. On 19th April, 1934, H.M.S. "Cornflower" was moved to her present berth to the West of Kellett Island - on moorings provided by the Hon. Harbour Master.
6.
Lieutenant Commander F.H.E. Skyrme, R.N. arrived on February, 24th., 1934, to take over Anti-Piracy duties together with those of Officer Instructor to the Force. Shortly after members were afforded an opportunity to witness night-firing from one of H.M. Ships and later the Force participated in combined manoeuvres. Practical experience in exercising has been carried out in launches lent by Messrs. Jardine Matheson & Co., Butterfield & Swire, Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Co., and The Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Co. The thanks of the Force for this help are here recorded.
Practice minesweeping by Cadets and Ratings has been done from launches supplied by the Royal Naval Dockyard and some few members have attended exercises wherein the larger sweeping gear was used.
Many members of the Force have been to sea in the anti- piracy patrol vessels. This practical work has been supplemented by lectures in the drill ship. The lectures covered Minesweeping, Elementary Seamanship, Handling of Boats, Signals in Semaphore, Morse and Naval Flags, Gun Drill on 4" Gun, Pilotage, Naval Terms and Customs together with others of varied interest delivered by Officers of His Majesty's Navy for these the Force records its
thanks.
7.
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By the end of the year 50 Ratings had been enrolled,
4 2