H.M.S."ACHILLAS", SiSCRaT. Lat. 23038» South Long.l78057' AeBt 3rd September, 1936. Sir, ffith reference to my signal times 0952 dated 26th August, 1936, 1 have the honour to report that in accordance with Admiralty instructions H.M.S. "ACHILLnS" approeched Kingman Reef on iVedncsday, 26th August, 1936, two days ahead of programme, and at 0825 on that day wuS steering 302° - 14 knots, wind S.*i. by B*If be, sea 21, visibility 9. 2. I decided to skirt the reef, circling to the southward in order to find my bearings - the chart being 24 miles to the inch - before launching the aircraft, which was ready and manned on bearing R.900. 3- At 0905, a heavy patch of smoke was observed bearing 045°, from which there rapidly emerged a man-o'-^ar approacning, end on, at high speed. An exchange of signals disclosed the U.S.S."GAMbLi£n. Catapult was accordingly trained fore and aft - not, it is feared, lefore the U»S.S. "GA14BW could have observed the movement through high power glasses - speed was increused to 10 knots and course gradually edged away to that required for making Canton Island. The Commodore Commanding, Hew Zealand Division oi the Hoyal Navy 4. I took this action because the approach of an American man-o»-war from the direction of Honolulu, at high speed, at that time, gave me the instinctive and uncomfortable feeling that I was poaohing. 5. It is in all ways regrettable that the Admiralty did noi, see fit to inform me that I was expected to carry out a surreptitious survey of this locality. I had assumed that the necessary permission had been obtained from the United States authorities, and had the "GiMBLB" approached from another bearing, and at leisurely speed, I might well have exchanged greetings and curried on with the survey, thus placing myself in a stupid position vis-a-vis an American Li eu t e n ant- Coram and e r ¦ I have, oto. (Sgd.) I.G. GLiSNNIE. ¦'./:-^..:.^-.^'V.-> .-r-..... CAPTAIN. ' Royal Navy. IX. M.2.26/8477. j The Naval Secretary, Wellington. Forwarded. 2. Altnough the Staff Officer (Intelligence), Wellington, was not informed in accordance with Station Order Look, Article 17, clause 4, when "Achilles" was ahead of programme, the correct reports of movements were made to the Admiralty. The Commanding Officer of H.M.S. "Achilles" has been informed that the Staff Officer (Intelligence), '.Vellingtoa should have been kept in touch with his movements. (Sgd.) £i.R. DRUmiOND. RSAR ADMIRAL "DUMDIN" at Auckland. COMMODORE COMMANDING 17th September, 1936. Nj£W ZEALAND STATION.