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obsolete other battleships in all navies because it was oil-burning, turbine-driven,
and possessed superior speed and armament. (Fig. 1.1).

The Cape Argus Weekly Edition: 9 November, 1910.

THE SELBORNE DOCK
____________
Simon’s Town Welcome
Thursday

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught had an
enthusiastic reception. The town was gaily decorated, most of the houses displaying
bunting, and many of the prominent buildings were tastefully decorated. Venetian
poles lined the streets, and there was an elegant arch, composed of greenery, shrubs,
and bunting, and bearing a welcome motto.
The actual ceremony at the new Dock was marred by somewhat heavy
showers, apart from which, quite half of the visitors, owing to railway vagaries, did
not arrive until it was nearly over.
At 12.30 a procession of motor-cars was formed at Admiralty House. In
addition to the Royal party, the procession included the Governor-General, Lady
Gladstone, Lord Methuen, General Scobell, Commodore Wemyss, and Sir F.
Hopwood.
Driving through the gaily decorated main streets, the cars entered the new
Dockyard, where the road was lined with bluejackets. The guard of honour, assisted
by Navy and Marines, was inspected by his Royal Highness, who was received by
Admiral Egerton. The Admiral presented Colonel Sir Edward Raban, the Admiralty
Director of Works, who had come to Simon’s Town for the occasion, and Sir John
Jackson, the contractor; the Archbishop and the remaining officials and the Royal
visitors were then conducted through the workshops to the stand erected on the edge
of the Graving Dock.
Sir Edward Raban and Sir John Jackson read short addresses, embodying a
description of the new works, and His Royal Highness replied, after which he laid
the completion stone, which was followed by a religious ceremony, conducted by
the Archbishop and the Chaplain of the Dockyard.
The second part of the ceremony was the formal opening of the Selborne
Dock, His Royal Highness pressing the electric button, which set the machinery in
motion.
As the water rushed in at full force, the band played the National Anthem,
and from the four cruisers in the bay a salute boomed forth, three cheers being
[given] then given for His Royal Highness who then returned to Admiralty House.