A top Royal Navy legal advisor will arrive in Bermuda today in a bid to pour oil on troubled waters after drunken sailors from a British ship created havoc in Hamilton, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

And Premier Pamela Gordon is to get a personal apology from the highest reaches of the Royal Navy.

The damage control exercise went into action after two HMS London sailors, part of a multi-national NATO force, knocked over motorbikes, jumped on car roofs and poured oil over two other vehicles, while two others -- one a woman -- laughed and took photographs.

A spokesman for Government House said: "The Navy is very, very embarrassed by the disgraceful behaviour on the part of Royal Navy personnel.

"The legal advisor will be here to conduct an inquiry involving Police and the people whose cars and bikes were vandalised.

"He will also try and sort out the claims for damages while he is here.'' It is understood British Prime Minister Tony Blair fired a broadside at the Navy after reading news of the incident in the UK tabloid press.

And the Navy ordered Navy lawyer Lt. Cmdr. Bob Gray to Bermuda to patch up relations between the Island and the UK.

The Government House spokesman said: "Mr. Blair ordered a report on the incident and a letter of apology will be sent to the Premier.

"It's yet to be confirmed, but I suspect it will probably be the First Sea Lord.'' Ms Gordon said last night: "This Navy gentleman is being sent to Bermuda to identify exactly what the damages are and restitution will be made as a result of this.

She added: "I am extremely pleased that the Navy is taking this seriously, especially with the relationship Bermuda has with Britain and our strategic relationship with NATO.'' But Ms Gordon said: "The relationship has not been hurt as it relates to NATO and we are pleased Britain has acted and these things will be dealt with. And I don't think anything like this will happen again.'' And she stressed: "We have to keep this in perspective -- there were seven ships in Bermuda and the vast majority of the sailors behaved very well.'' Navy top brass are doubly furious because the incident -- the only one to mar the visit by 1500 sailors from seven nations -- happened the day after Diana, Princess of Wales' funeral and a special memorial service in Bermuda.

The shamed sailors were turned over to HMS London for punishment and two are expected to be fined at least $1,500 and ordered to pay compensation -- which will run into thousands of dollars. The other two are also likely to be hauled up on disciplinary charges.

Red-faced Admiralty bosses got the Navy blues after the sailors' antics were plastered all over top-selling newspapers in the UK.

The Daily Express trumpeted "Shame of sailors on the rampage'' and quoted a Ministry of Defence spokesman, who said: "There is zero tolerance of misbehaviour in the Navy.'' An MoD spokesman added last night no criminal charges had been brought against any of the ratings and said that inquiries into the matter had yet to be completed.

Premier Pamela Gordon said after the incident that the sailors had shamed the Navy and dishonoured the memory of Princess Diana and called for the crewmembers to be "severely dealt with.'' And Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness said the hooligans should be "made to swab the decks....without a break until they get back to England.'' SHIPPING SHI