["Arrival of the Duke", The Register (Adelaide, SA), Tuesday 09 July 1901, page 5]
ARRIVAL OF THE DUKE.
THE OPHIR AT ANCHOR.
A GOOD PASSAGE FROM HOBART.
The royal yacht Ophir, contrary to the generally accepted idea, reached the anchorage on Monday evening. She had been advised to arrive early on Tuesday morning, but notwithstanding this intimation a sharp lookout was kept for surprises. Throughout her cruise in Australasian waters it has been observed that her commander, Captain Winsloe, has invariably kept well ahead of his appointed time, and it was this consideration that induced those on the watch for her to keep their weather eye lifting for the first news from the out ports. Strange to say the vessel was not reported from MacDonnell Bay, but this may have arisen from the fact that she kept the south-eastern station well to seaward, and consequently was not noticed by the signalmen on duty there. At 3.40 in the afternoon, however, "the royal yacht Ophir with man-of-war in attendance" was flashed along the wires from Troubridge Lighthouse, and shortly after 6 o'clock her lights and that of her escort, H.M.S. Juno, were descried well down the gulf by the ever vigilant boarding officers on the Semaphore Jetty. At half-past 7 Pilot T. Allen, who had been chosen to pilot the Ophir up the Port River, left the jetty in a launch to meet the incoming vessel. The weather was thick, heavy clouds hovered overhead, and before the launch had covered more than a mile or two the rain began to fall in smart showers, while a fresh north westerly breeze raised a little sea. As the Ophir and her escort came within signalling distance of the Royal Arthur and the ether warships lying at anchor, signals were flashed in the Morse code from one to the other from the foremasts. Flash alter flash was sent from the flagship, and the Ophir's replies were dispatched with equal rapidity. It was a brilliant example of the perfection to which night signaling has attained in the British navy. The royal yacht had now slowed down considerably, and the pilot boat bore away more to the southward to intercept her, and Pilot Allen caused a flare, signifying "a pilot boat," to be shown at intervals of about five minutes. The launch steamed approximately five miles to the south-west of the jetty before it was discovered that the Ophir and Juno had anchored at ten minutes past 8. On ranging alongside the former. Pilot Allen went on board and found that arrangements had been made for him to stay during the night, in readiness to get under way in the morning. The launch remained alongside the great liner for a quarter of an hour, and then returned to the shore. While alongside it was ascertained that fine weather had been experienced from Hobart, and the pressmen on board the launch were informed that a concert was to be held on the Ophir at 9 o'clock, at which their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess were to be present. The Ophir was one blaze of light from stem to stern, and the band was playing. Later in the evening the customs launch, with Mr. M. J. Conlon, Tide Surveyor, and a representative of the Orient Company on board, visited the Ophir. Immediately on the arrival of the Ophir Messrs. Elder, Smith, & Co., who had been appointed by the Admiralty as agents for the royal yacht, cabled a message to King Edward announcing the fact.
