The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-07 00:00:00

THE CHANNEL FLEET.

THE CRUISE OF THE WARRIOR.
(Abridged from the Scotsman.)
A little after noon, on Tuesday, a large and fashionable
party left the west pier of Leith on board the trim gun
boat Trinculo, which steamed out towards the fleet, and
brought up under the lee of the Warrior. A little before
two the whole party was on board ; and soon after the
anchor was weighed, the engines were turned ahead, and
the Warrior moved majestically down the Firth, amid cheers
from the war vessels she passed, and from the many tugs
plying busily through the fleet, and especially clustering
round the Black Prince—with double eagerness that
there was on Monday no general admittance on board the

Warrior.
The party, which might number about 150, a large pro-
portion being ladies, dispersed throughout the ship, in all
directions save upwards, to watch the various operations
connected with the start. The heaving of the anchor was of
course the main interest. The steady and well-timed tramp
of the men marching aft with the tackle when walking the
ship up to her anchor was very impressive. A more especia 1
source of interest was the manning and working of the great
capstan on the main deck, where 200 or more stalwart fel-
lows—A. B.'s, idlers, marine artillerymen, and marines--
pressed lustily upon the capstan bars to the music of the
band, while with clank and clang the slimy chain cable crept
along and round, and again along and vanished down an
iron-lipped chasm into the Cimmerian gloom of the table-
locker. Black and oozy the cable crept in, and with
a long and unremitting sweep the men pressed manfully on
the capstan-bars, till at length the shrill pipe of the boat-
swain forward proclaimed that the toil was over, and the
cable was secured with a slip, and the capstan was un-
manned. Yet the toil for many was not over, but only
transferred to the upper deck. The anchor was weighed, but
the cable was only slipped, and the anchor was yet at some
considerable depth. The tackles on deck were soon manned,
and by steady hauling, the huge beam of the anchor rose
at last to the cathead out of tho green water, black,
dripping, and muddy. There was much shouting, piping,
and clambering of fearless bluejackets on the perilous-
looking platforms and footholds without, and in another
minute the great flukes of the anchor were lifted astern and
secured, and before a motion was perceptible at the bow,
the anchor was a-trip and the Warrior was a full mile from
her moorings, sweeping under easy steam past the north
side of Inchkeith.

The Warrior's course was shaped towards a point be-
tween the Island of May and the Bass Rock, thence back-
ward past the Bass, and on a course of S.W. by S., towards
the anchorage sbe had lett. It must be said, however, that
few on board save the officers on duty knew or cared whither
the ship was steering, or how long she was to be out on her
cruise. The attractions of the quarter-deck were manifold
and potent to the gay and lightsome many ; and not the
less so to the inquiring and exploring few were those of
the wonderful regions below, The opportunity, which
so rarely presents itself, of observing and inspecting the
internal working of a great iron-clad under steam, was
eagerly seized by some on board. On deck vibration was
scarcely perceptible. At the bow only the dash of the
waves on the ship's side told that she was moving.
Astern, the revolution of the screw-shaft and screw
was distinctly felt, but not at all so as to be un-
pleasant. Even in the engine-room, on the iron platforms
immediately above the massive cranks, revolving rapidly
with alternate motion, the vibration was very slight.

But the main interest of the cruise was concentrated on
the upper deck. Over the whole of the quarter-deck,
reaching as far forward as the funnels, an awning was
stretched. The larboard side of the quarter-deck abaft of
the bridge was cleared of guns and tack'e, and screened off
by bunting and light sail from the starboard side, which
was set apart as the promenade and dancing-ground.
Within the light and gaily-coloured walls of this apartment
was laid a most substantial and handsome luncheon—pro-
vided by Captain the Hon. Arthur A. Cochrane, of the
Warrior—of which all the party, including a number of
officers from the other ships of the fleet, partook with the
greatest heartiness and satisfaction. Among the officers
on board were Captains Wainwright, of the Black
Prince ; Campbell, of the Royal Oak ; Chamberlayne, of
the Resistance ; Lambert, of the Liverpool ; and Schomberg?
of the Edinburgh. Commander the Hon. Lord Elphina
stone was also among the party on board. The company
were served by the officers' servants, stewards, and a
number of boys, in the most handy and waiter-like
fashion; while without, and in somewhat too close
proximity, the ship's band played a number of more or
less favourite airs. Luncheon over, dancing began on the
quarter-deck without ; and waltz, quadrille, and galop fol-
lowed each other in quick succession, continuing so long as
the band continued to play, and even during debarcation,
as long as one or two couples could be mustered out of those
waiting for the boat that was to reconvey them on board the
Trinculo. The officers of the Warrior, and these from the
other vessels who were on board, seemed not only thoroughly
to enjoy the dancing, but positively to inspire their fair part-
ners with a perseverance and fortitude which, at the im-
pulse of a gold-laced cuff, made them proof against all
fatigues. Across the deck forward was drawn a canvas
screen waist high ; and behind this the crew was cluttered
in scores and hundreds on deck, on the gun-carriages,
launches, bulwarks, shrouds, and every stand-point or foot
hold which enabled them to witness and enjoy the gay scene
abaft. The sight from the after-bridge was most novel and
impressive. Below and astern a gay company sat against
the bulwarks, and amidships, or promenaded outside the
lines of the dancers. In the centre some two dozen
couples at a time whirled gracefully to the music of the
band ; and beyond, the dark blue uniforms and honest
cheerful brown faces of the seamen, were backed by the
white bulwat ks, by a wilderness of cordage, and by
wreaths
the
long
bright sky, along which gracefully trailed
of silver cloud.. Nothing could surpass the gaiety of
the scene, the courtesy of the entertainers, the pleasure and
interests of the guests, who were all safely landed at Leith
about 7 o'clock; and the cruise of the Warrior will not
soon be forgotten either by those whose voyagings are so
I often made in so much less pleasant surroundings, or by
those to whom voyaging at all is rare, and much more rare
with such singular conditions of enjoyment as were yester-
day so bapPilY combined.