The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-07-18 00:00:00

LAUNCH of the QUEIIN CHARLOTTE.

Ain necessity is the mother of invention, so is idles
nest the parent of curiosity ; and there having been
no show for some time to gratify the natives, we
were nut surprised to &pier% e a more than ordinary
degree of bowie in preirarations for a prep at the
Leunch of the Queen Charlotte, at DeatfolJ ; bat
no expectation could hare led us to anticipate a
tenth part of what actually took place. From a
very early hour of the morning of yesterday, coo-
veyances of every description were pressed into the
service of those who had not previously taken the
precaution to provide themselves. At eleven o'clock,
the road was literally covered with carriages of every
description, from the splendid barosche and four
bloods, to the coal-waggon with three dray-horses of
random. Post-cholera, hackney coaches, landaus,
stages, gigs, tax-carts, curricles, dog-carts, tan-
dems, . common carts, whiskeys, phaeton% and
waggons, filled up the curious and promiscuuul
Kerte. The horsemen and pedestrians were also
innumerable. 'l'he stoppages on the road. so
crowded with these various vehicles, were as fre-
quent and as long as at a lady of quality's rout ;
and the damage done to some of the equipages fur-
nished plenty of work to the coach-maker, and to
the carpenter. Perhaps there never was a apectucle•
exhibited which could give a more just idea of the
national character and manners than that we are
attempting to depict. From John Bull, improved,
rod sporting in the higher circles with four-iu-hand; -
to John Bull, not idtproved, and moving in his owls
circle with a shay, there was 3,0 yielding or claim-
ing of precedence un the public read—the speed
of the cattle, or the jockeyship of the driver, gave
the painin mobiles, which mishit dominos terrorzern
ad Deptford. The scramble for places iu the duets
of Loudon was only surpassed by the greater scram-
ble fur seats, as the pedestrians prove ded an their
journey, and became the more isifkirmied from see-
ing their more lucky i.e.glibotirs roll aloug. Nu-
merous contests ensued, obit the coaches and horses,
between two or three porn ai of irioleut claimants,
were sometimes is no mall dauger of being torn
to pieces. Yet, after all this Anxiety; and esutritrip-
piug all the disappointments of the road, Will more
severe trials awaited the taajorsty of the. isitors on
their arrival at Deptford. W-itb difficulty only
could an entry into the Dock-yard be effected, arid
the further the crowd advanced, the, more the olt-
Wades t', a iiew of the launch increased. All round
the s---ssel was formed a line of soldiers, who pre.
vented access to the mite of the booths, from which
eerie a sight could be attained by those who were
not acccintriodated with places on hoard !tome of
the vessel, usi the river, or in the Yard. Of yours.
rtniny thousands were utterly disappointed ; and
sifter all the labsnrs of a journey to Deptford, the
object of universal uttractton was only distinctly ii-
silde to the favoured few. As it is, however. no
rase matter to hide a hundred-gun ship alto-
gether, those who could not get within the
hoes, brgttn to avail themselves of every other ex-
pedient that offered, for the purpose of gratifying
their curiosi'y. Not a post, insist, out-honae, col-
lection of timber, or elevation of any kind, but
lOW was speedily populated, and the grotesque
appearance of the Docks beggared all description.
But, even after all this cramming, not fewer than
10,000 persons rentainial no the outside of the
gates. On each side of the 'ease', which towered
in majestic grandeur between, was erected • row of
seven benches, gradually rising over each other like
the gallery of a theatre. They were about 300 feet
long, and the back part and covering being formed
of flags, gave the whole a very grand and superb ap-
pearance. The pillars by whirls the roof was support-
ed in front were also entwined with flagsof all kind..
The several divisions of this erection were set apart
for the Admiralty. the Navy, the Commissioners,
the Officers of the Yard, &c. kce. as wee to be as-
certained by boards stuck up at the hack row,
giving the description of the persons to be admitted.
Others, who could procure tickets of admission,
were persoitted to take their steed between these
booths and the vessel, and so pertinacious were the
holders of seats of their rights and istivileges, that
though many persons of quality and fashion, and
many elegem termites. werepleciel in this unpleasant
situation, the politeness of a gentleman was never
exercised in offering them seats, wheic there was
room enough to stow double the number. The
ship herself was-thronged, having not feller than
1000 persons of every sex and condition on board, at
the time of the launch. Well crowded as was the
land, the water boasted an equal proportion of ea-
rful. The river was dark with the thousands of
boat-loids that swarmed upon its surface. All the
vessels, too, had their full complement ; and with
streamer' and flags, a :now gay and more diversi-
fied scene cannot be imagined. A military band
of music contributed greatly to enliven it, by play-
ing massy appropriate national airs sail marches. In
this state, with die throng gradually accumulating,
stood matters, till about ten minutes before two
o'clock, when, the tide suiting, the launch took
place. The Queen Charlotte weneoff in the finest
style nerd, amidst the shoots of the congregated
multitudes emlwaced that element, which, we trust,
she is loug destined to rule. It was 8 most majes-
tic sight, as she slowly kissed the first wave, and
then rushed •into the tide, which, as if delighted
with the new and glorious harden, bounded up to
lave her sides. The hugs which covered the
river were driven before the mighty Leviathan
of the deep ; and at the undulations nursed
them to rise sod full, it is impossible to de-
pict the grandeur of the scene.-13ut the most
beautiful of all was not till atter the ally haul
biked her course tip the river, und the my•
nail Oir craft swarmed around the now e.opty
The gay appearauce a the Admiralty slid Navy
barges, together with the barges of several File
Insurance Offic. s, and private pleasure-bade, deck-
ed out iu every passible farm of variety and splen-
dour ; the situate ; the usseinielage of female be:any
on the Ames ; the vast multitude of ever? descrip-
tion, completed a scene of pleasure and of Wonder
ee v c. ly to be paralleled. If ever tie ;a/at of
Venice could compare with thisßritish gilioSoi err-
, t :llady :aortic(' the mast finished picture of what we
rosy fancy, when our ideas are excited by deserip-
si„,.% of sorb, festivals, from the enchanting pen of
• .1 It eichtfe. For an hour the delightful vision
kept floating ill emlle,• variety; till at last, satiated
with the vojoyitio sit, the rottio.loy began to retire,
and the crowd to &spew. It required, buster.,

hours to sccnmldi•h tl.ia matter; and the towns of
Deptford and theretwich, He well as the not& to
town bilid eoulltry, were thronged till a very late
hour. The linewPms of the day was very favourable
to the occasion, and highly Kratifyirtg to the spec-
Lauri, who, from the clouds of the morniug, anti-
cipated only storm and wet. Numbers of the no-
bility were present. and Hipetwed to he much pleas-,
ad with the launch. Among 11141,y others, we no-
ticed—

The Duke of Sussex, Monsieur, nit Earl of Liverpool.
Lord Elleuboruush, Lord Yarmouth, Lord Strultou, Lmal
Hawke; Lady Suy-and.Sele, Lady Choltuouelthey, &c. Sec.
The ship, souls after the launch, dropiod a short
.ay down the river, and she coinpauy adjourned
to prtiike of the usual grand entertainment pro-
sited uu these occasion&