The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-12 00:00:00

Limo the membms of the Houses of Lords and

Commons had arrived dwell. In the meantime steamers or
every class continued to arrive at Spithead from South-
ampton, Brighton, Shoreham, and Weymouth, and even

the "Esther Thames" wu Siund among them.
At 10.30 the Queen left Osborne Mouse for E tst Cowes,
where she embark-41 on board the Royal Yacht Victoria
and Albert, Comosodsre Lord Adolphus Fi,aclarence,
0.C.11. At 10.4.3 the royal standard on board the yacht
was seen by the fleet, when a general royal salute
was fired. Iler Majesty steamed through the fleet,

and the numerous private steamers, yachts, and
boats by which Spithead sad the &dent were literally
covered in very beautiful style, many a hearty burst of
cheering greeting her as she passed by. Having passed the
Duke of Wellington, 131, screw steam ship, Captain 11. B.
Marti*, C. 11., bearing the flag of the Commander-in-chief,
ice• Admiral Sir T. J. Cochrane, K.C.8., the royal yacht
brought up and her Majesty proceeded on board the Duke,

. .
which she remained on board of for about half an hour.

At this time Spithead presented a scene of the
greatest activity. It was crowded with vessels of
every character, including some of the most ordinary,
as well as the finest in the merchant service
of Great Britain. It was impossible to ascertain the names
of all the private steamers and the parties on board them ;
bat amongst them were the Peninsular and Oriental Com-
pany's steamer Tagus, with • large party of officers from
Chobham Camp ; the Cadiz, with the directors of.the same
company on board; the Royal West Indian Mail Mesmer
Thames, with the directors of that company; the screw
ship Alar, with the directors of the General Screw Steam
Shipping Company ; the Courier, Wonder, and South
Western, belonging to the South Western Railway Com-
pany ; the Wave, Queen, and Collier, beknging to the
Brighton and South Coast Company ; the Brilliant, Ma-
deira packet ; the French steam trades Colibri ; the Lord
Warden, from Folkestone ; the Father Thames, from Lou•
don ; and • vast number of other vessels.
Last night Rear-Admiral Arthur Fanshawe, C. 8., Super-
intantdent of Portsmouth Dockyard, went out to St.
Helens and took the command of the enemy's squarer.
hoisting his flag ea board the Prince Regent, 90, Captain
Hutton, end having under his command the Queen, 116,
Capt. Michell ; Prince Regent, 90 ; Lsndon, 90, Captain
C. Brien; Aaphkm, Si, screw frigate, Captain Key ;
Vannes, 6, paddle sloop, Captain Glossa; Summits, 6,
paddle sloop; and Driver, 6, paddle sloop, Lieut. Fisher, of
the Horatio.
On her Msjesty's going on board the Duke of Wellington.
the royal standard was immediately hoisted at the main of
that ship, when another general royal salute was fired by
the fleet. In • few minutes afterwards, however, the signal
was hoisted by the Duke of Wellington, " Annul all sa-
lutes." Whilst the Queen remained on board the Duke of
Wellington the private steamers took advantage of the op-
portunity to steam round that magnificent vessel, the eons-
' pany of each steamer as they did an giving a hearty and
enthusiastic round of cheers. The scene now was of the
I mot animating character.
At five minutes. pest 11 the Queen left the Duke of
Wellington, repairing on board the Victoria and Albert,
a casualty of an awkward character metering at this mo-
ment, the Stromboli, steam sloop, carrying away the jib-
boom of a private yacht. The contact of the
two vessels appeared rather a serious one, but no
other damage than that already stated occurred. The
signal was now made from the Duke of Wellington for the
commencement of the evolutions of the review, the fleet
forming in two columns, her Majesty's yacht Victoria and
Albert taking the Teed of the two lines. So large a number
it men-of-war under steam excited the greatest interest,
bring a spectacle that had perhaps never been seen before.
At 12.40 the enemy was seen approaching under sail in
eery beautiful order, the wind being very favourable. A
dotal was now made to "form line abreast," and shortly
after the demand was hoisted, and the Terrible steam-
frigate, Capt. Meeleverty, sent out to reconnoitre the
enemy. The Queen's yacht dropped astern, and the Prince
It-gent fired two guns to bring the ships of her squadron
into order of battle. At this period the Queen, 11G, was
corning up, under royal sails, topsails, topgallant sails ; the
Prince Regent, under topsails, topgallant sails, and gib ; and
the London, under courses and topsails. The action
commenced with a shot from the Agamemnon, 91
flag of Rear-Admiral Corry, second in command:
and it was immediately joined in by the entire fleet. '1 be
two opposing squadrons kept up an incessant cannonade
for about a quarter of an hour, soon enveloping themselves
in an impenetrable cloud of smoke, hiding themselves
from the spectators of the fight and from each
other. At the conclusion of the combat, and as the
smoke gradually cleared away, the enemy were
found to be in apparently a very distressed condi-
tion—the sails of the ships of his squadron were
so disposed as to appear torn and destroyed by the shot of
the other fleet; and chase being made, one vessel after an-
lother was successively captured.