At anchor in the South Pacific lay the little Australian destroyer Torrens last week. Three-quarters of a mile away Australia's two capital ships, the 10,000-ton cruisers Australia and Canberra, steamed in line of battle, decks cleared for action. Gunnery officers and navigators worked their range finders and slide rules, scribbled calculations. The eight eight-inch guns of the Australia fired a deafening broadside, the Canberra followed with her main battery. Fountains of white spray rose round the little target-ship, but when the smoke cleared, the Torrens still rode at anchor. Australia's navy...
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