The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-11 00:00:00

'11) LaF'
- NAVAL REVIEW

aryl form line of battle,
i. ad to the north

on board. But with such a Peet no one nee-I feel
t a loss for specimens of the way :11
wooden walls are built, fitted, and manned. A
visit to the Imperieuse, for instance, may be taken
as a proof of this. Commanded by Captain Wat-
son, she is expected to turn out one of the smartest
steam frigates in the service. She has hardly yet
had time to establish a reputation independently of
the name she bears, but in her build and equip-
ment the most recent improvements have been
adopted, and she is thoroughly well officered, as
ra ly be seen by the expenditure in paint-scrubbing-
brushes, the polish of the guns, and a variety of
details, the expense of which the Admiralty leaves
captains and first-lieutenants who take a pride in
the state of their ships to defray out of their own
pockets. Even to the gallery for the shaft of her
screw, a scrupulous cleanliness pervades the remot-
est corners of this fine frigate. Her armament dis-
plays to great advantage the accession of weight to
the guns now used as compared with those in the
last war, some reminiscences of which she awakens
by a small brass cannon on her quarter-deck called
" the Nelson Avenger." This is so mounted as to
be capable of being brought to bear with destruc-
tive effect upon marksmen in the rigging of an
enemy. The Imperieuse is remarkable for the
spacious uninterrupted sweep both of her upper
and lower decks. Her men were to-day following,
without a sign of modification, the ordinary course
of a man-of-war life—some tailoring, others at
carpenter's work, others ropemaking, a few taking
lessons in instrumental music, numbers stretched
upon the deck fast asleep, and more attending to
duty. What a miniature world it is that we find
realised in these leviathans afloat !
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Prussia
arrived at four, per special train, from London,
and was received at the Victoria-pier by Captain
Crispin, of her Majesty's yacht Victoria and Albert,
and a guard of honour. The Prince embarked in
the barge of the Fairy, and was saluted by 21 guns
from the Platform battery on the Royal Prussian
standard being hoisted in the Fairy, which con-
veyed his Highness to Osborne as one of the guests
of her Majesty.
The Fairy whisked away merrily towards the
east, and after she had run out a mile or so from
the shore the Prussian frigate and her consort
roused out their men and sent them into the tops,
and on the nearer approach of the little yacht
manned the yards in very good style, as well as we
could see from the shore. As the Fairy approached
the quarter of the frigate a little jet of flame sprung
from her dark side, followed by a curling belt of
smoke, and ere the report reached the shore the
whole of the squadron took up the firing, which
soon swelled into a heavy cannonade and shook
the windows of Portsmouth, rolling through the
woodlands on both shores like a distant thunder-
storm. The black bulls, which lay dotting the
waters from Spithead all along the anchorage as
far as Ryde, were soon enveloped in a bright
" fog-bank," as dense and heavy as one of those
snow-white clouds one sometimes sees floating
about towards sunset in a clear sky ; and for up-
wards of three miles nothing could be seen but this
" war cloud," constantly regenerated from the
sides of the fleet, spreading over and shrouding
them in its fold, and then smoothed away beneath
a gentle breeze from the south-east, which covered
the Solent waters like a winding sheet. Above it,
indeed, were visible the masts of the men-of-war,
but all below was without form and void, and the
sight filled one with melancholy reflections as to the
possible extent of vision which will be enjoyed by
those persons in the steamers to leeward to-
morrow, unless there is a very smart breeze indeed
—a contingency which does not now seem very
probable, and which, if it should arrive, might
t
possibly be attended by still more disagreeabl
consequences to many of the

IZoyal

in . L-, e • .„1 aO,

AT SPITHEAD.

yacht.
Form two columns and return to Spithead.
Use sails instead of steam.
All boats carrying guns to assemble round the Royal
yacht, the boats of the starboard division on the star-
noard side, port division on the port side.
Another in two columns, leading ships first, the others
passing them and anchoring in succession north-west of
tie Admiral 's, at a very short stay, till signal is made
to moor or veer.
Anchor in two columns, according to the order of
sailing in two columns.
Alter course together on the bearing indicated.
The port column to become the starboard column.
On this signal being made the port column will keep
steerage weigh only until the leading ship can pass close
astern of the rear of the starboard division, when they
will put on all steam to regain their stations, the star-
board column checking speed until they have done so.
When the Queen approaches Spithead a general royal
salute will be fired by all the ships of the fleet. This
will be repeated when the royal standard is hoisted on
board the Duke of Wellington, that ship not joining in
the salute in consequence of her Majesty's presence on
board. On her Majesty leaving The Duke and re-em-
barking in the Victoria and Albert, previous to the com-
mencement of the review, another general royal salute
will be fired, The Duke joining therein, and the Captains
of all the ships are cautioned not to fire when the royal
yacht is close at hand. A final salute will take place at
the close of the review, when the Queen leaves the
I fleet.

PORTSMOUTH (THIS DAY).
_ This great event, which has caused such intense
excitement, came off this morning, and waswit-
nessedby thousands of persons who flocked from
all quarters to the scene.
toAs early as six o'clock steamers from Southamp-
an; Gosport, the Isle of Wight, and indeed from
Parts of the coast, up to the western headland,
were
wresting
seen making their way towards the Nab,
12t
resentieg, as may be easily imagined, a most in-
spectacle. This town (Portsmouth) pre-
appearance an appearance of the most exciting charac-
ter, the people being literally wedged in the streets,
unable to
move in any direction. The commonade,
from early dawn, was crowded with Londoners,
Who expected that from that spot they would be
enabled to obtain a sight of the proceedings—an
e xPeotation in which they were grievously disap-
P°illted• On Portsdown-hill, where by the aid of
a glass the position of the fleet might be seen, there
Were thousands assembled, and was, perhaps, the
t land spot that could have been selected for
observation.
Some idea of the extraordinary influx of people
Illto the town and neighbourhood of Portsmouth
1147 be formed from the fact, that during the entire
1,i,...,
many hundreds of persons of a respectable
.7Poslru in society walked about the streets, having
O'llY sought accommodation. From sunrise trains
,? the London and South Western, the South
fit, the Bishopstoke and Salisbury, as well as
creul other lines running towards Portsmouth,
Aged in shoals of anxious excursionists, not one
°f whom
7h the
who had not made previous arrangements,
).7 tbe Slightest opportunity of catching a glimpse
the review, every boat in the harbour, large or
41441._ baying been engaged at enormous charges
"'jun after the announcement of the review was
made.

The following list of the ships, their guns, proper
complement of men—which, however, is in many
instances incomplete—steam power, and tonnage,
will be read with interest on the eve of the

review :

Guns.

Men.

Horse I Ton-
Power. nage.

Sh°fly after 9 o'clock, the train—the Parlia-
mentary train it may be called—arrived, contain.
mgk her Majesty's Ministers and a great number o
eAnlhers of both Houses of Parliament.
many the arrivals were several Judges and
""anY dignitaries of the Church. There were also
present the Duke of Wurtemburg, the Grand
Duchess of Olga, the Duke de Nemours, the
Prince de Joinville, the Count de Paris, and many
°'
her illustrious foreigners.
At 10 o'clock a Royal salute announced the
embarkation of the Queen on • board the Royal
Yacht from East Cowes. Another salute was fired
aa ber Majesty approached Spithead.
Onarriving at the fleet, her Majesty was received
by Vice-Admiral Sir T. Cochrane, K.C.8., who
takes the command of the fleet on this occasion.
Rear-Admirals Fanshawe, K.C. 8., Major-General
:14P801), Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, and Captain-
K3ll2erintendent Courtney.
The fleet consisted of the Duke of Wellington,
the Agamemnon, the Queen, the Prince Regent,
thetrl London, the Blenheim, the Hogue, the Ajax,
A e Edinburgh, the Imperieuse, the Arrogant, the
Prrn, the Tribune, the Sidon, the Terrible, the
"--t},lgnflyer, the Magicienne, the Valorous, the Odin,
Encounter, the Leopard, the Desperate, the
ulture, the Vesuvius, and the Barracouta, giving
the following result :—Total number of guns 1,176,
men
.10)133, horse-power 10,410, tonnage 42,227.
a 41116 fleet might have been very considerably
,ligmented had the Admiralty chosen to bring
rni Plymouth and Sheerness, as might easily
Ra:Ve been done, the Neptune, the Waterloo, the
St. George, and the St. Jean D'Acre.
The members of the Government, on their alight-
ing
from the railway carriages, proceeded in the
Driver, which was also placed at the disposal of
other peers.
The members of the House of Commons, on their
arri
Builapl ran with terrible eagerness towards the
their , but that vessel not being sufficient for
,ace°l:Quiodation, another ship, called the
"aa Inirthened with the remainder.
Con-
The representatives of the newspaper press were
accommodated in the Gorgon.
The Members of both Houses of Parliament
metthe Queen on board the Duke of Wellington,
"'"1 paid their respects to her Majesty, who was
attended by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord E. Bruce,
,Marquis of Ormond°, Lord G. Lennox, Lieut.-
`jol. N. Hood, Col. lion. C. Grey, Col. Bouverie,
Capt. Hon, Dudley de Ros, and Mr. Gibbs. The
Countess of Gainsboro', the Hon. M. Seymour,
and Lady C. Cust.
Her Majesty was accompanied by H.R.H. Prince
?eft, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal,
Prince Alfred, the Princess Helena Alice Louisia,
Prince Arthur, and Prince Leopold
Sir James Graham, the First Lord of the Admi-
ralty, officially introduced to her Majesty Vice-
4,.(lrairal Sir T. Cochrane, the Commander-in-Chie:
• %the Fleet, Sir T. Byhain Martin, C. 8., and the
Other officers.
II Contemporaneously with the embarkation of
,er Majesty, the members of the Admiralty em-
uarked at the Sally-port at Portsmouth in the
Yacht Black Eagle, when the First Lord performed
the ceremony just adverted to. The yacht was
under the charge of Commander Petley. Lady
o ra'hara and the Foreign Ministers wore on board
the
Fire Queen, which met the Black Eagle on ar-
riving at Spithead.
After sailing out to the Nab the review corn-
rtienced, and was proceeding when our dispatch
left.

afloat.
The Fairy, having sailed round the Prussian
frigate, ran down towards Osborne, thhonugessh slhaenddeidd
not man the yards, and his Royal Hig
soon after 5 o'clock, and proceeded to the residence
of her Majesty. The roadstead presents an ap-
pearance of great animation. A number of small
yachts are cruising about, and the water is
odotted
with men-of-war boats pulling in all directi.
The wind is freshening a little, and it is to be
hoped that it will not alter, but that we may get a
good topsail breeze, as the spectacle of to-morrow
will then be much more effective.
A very proper degree of caution has been im-
pressed upon the several captains, not to fire when
so near her Majesty that the explosion could by
possibility prove annoying. The Duke of Welling-
ton, when her Majesty is on board will not fire at all.
Portsmouth is getting very full indeed, and beds
are at a price which is without parallel. At
the last of the principal hotels at which one un-
fortunate party applied, they offered 6/. for a bed.
a piece during two nights, and could not be ac-
commodated. Even in the suburbs and obscure
portions of the town lodgings were and are very
difficult to be procured, and generally at outrageous
prices. Still the streets of Portsmouth hardly pre-
sent any other than their usual appearance, of a
strangely mingled population of civilians of all
classes, of military of all ranks and regiments, and
of sailors of all grades and services, from the ad-
miral to the cabin boy, and the dandified yachts-
man to the grimy tar of the collier. The man-of-
war's men, jaunty swaggering, in blue jackets,
open shirt collars, and most orthodoxly cut trow-
sers, contrast with the slouching spiritless look of
the sailors of the merchant marine. In every
street near any of the numerous landing places the
sun-burnt boatmen accost you, some of them old
men-of-war's men, and who will tell you many a
story of old their exploits. In the principal
street you have officers by the score lounging at
hotel windows, and middles diving into pastry-
cooks'. In another portion of the town, where
all around you is bastion and wall—where the
glacis and the stagnant verdure of the ditch is
all the green you see—amid barracks, batteries,
sallyports, strongly defended bridges, and embra-
sured parapets—in such places the population is
almost entirely military—the Marine, in his simple
uniform, contrasting with the Highlander (the
42d are here at present), and the red-coated sol-
diers of the line, with the blue-coated Artillery-
man. Portsmouth is a most puzzling place to
find your way through. You are instructed to
plunge into sailor-peopled alleys, where models of
ships decorate the windows, and dozens of parrots
are suspended for sale along the walls. There is
a pungent commingling odour of fish, tar, old
ropes, and mud ; and presently, as you plod along,
you suddenly come upon something intruding arm
of the sea, or some redoubt or-shut up sallyport,
and have nothing for it but to retrace 'your weary
steps. So intersected is the town, indeed, with
this species of obstruction, that a long and tire-
some round along dead walls is frequently neces-
sary to get to a place locally at hand. You see
the despotism of officialism at every step. In-
scriptions engraved over grey gateways notify
that those who have no military right there enter
by sufferance, and warn fly-drivers to go slowly
over the bridges, which give loud clanks and
acks as the vehicles passes them. And not only
in Portsmouth do you meet a battery of cannon in
the lam, but it is in it, as Eothen describes Con-
stantinople, you meet a ship in the street. The
Constantinople ship-street is, however, only one—
the Golden Horn. Portsmouth has many marine
horns, but most ungolden horns are they ; dirty
water when the tide is in, dirty mud when the tide
is out, dirty overhanging houses whether the tide
be out —rotting filth and garbage always. Here
lie small coasters and colliers, it being a wonder to
the visitor to conceive how they possibly penetrate
ui
into
lt
e a
enae,
na-nl akel llei
tytsl
ewithoutu sr
sh o
avi
n ndg
howt he i b
they o w se pe rui
lt
ds
possiblyg dter aeuswrtnne r
niao.o bitdHo,
ofowr
oneer
va et
houselri r
t'h'
agat oh
the
hab
edo ut thing
and'
zw wit
bit
ma-
naged thou t_f
pannualoglteihild without the occurrence of any of these ca-
tastrophes we have ocular demonstration. The
handiest way of going from many parts of Ports-
mouth to others is by the harbour, which often
saves you a long roundabout:

- -
TEE REVIEW OF TEE FLEET.

PORTSMOUTH, AUG. 10
The excitement and rush of people to witness a
three
great naval display announced for to-morrow
1111 Y on the increase. The novelty of the spec-
tacle to be presented—the popularity of the ser-
vice the efficiency of which it is intended to
:illus-
trate—the presence of nearly
nleut in the State Family, , of our own Royal
•
every great depaanrtd
-oil members of two other Sovereign European
-4°llses----all these influences combined are telling
With the weight which might be expected on thee
' To-day
curiosity and interest of the public. .
itors
is little to relate beyond this—that while visitors
are• of excitement
there
are Working themselves up to a pi
that almost boils over, the shill)
quietly at anchor under the coo
w(4olWid ships
shade
et the f fltebeet
Isleitre
Wight, tawkihyngsoit
msoancay
eosneshcea
eagerly levelled at them, unnuothheelspe
searching calmly
Yletshcoapt
in that.
ohforsshie glances, cast and
direction.omany aTnhxieohusst,
men,be
Power, and tonnage, the list _ps to be reviewed, with th eel;
signalsguns, to
used, the salutes to be fired, and the
subjoined, appropriation
so
of steamers to invited sightseer's, are
far as they have at present been promulgated, and
these, to a certain extent indicate what the
nearly
order
of proceeding is to be ; but even no
everything awaits a final settlement, and the pro-
gramme, when complete, may be cut short, or even
altered, by her Majesty. It is confidently be-
lieved,however, that the steamers anchored at
Spithead will weigh anchor shortly before mid-day,
and sail out to the Nab in the order in which they
are at present drawn up ; that the look-out vessels
will then make the signal of "An enemy on the
south-west ;" that this enemy will consist of the
Prince Regent, London, Queen, Amphion, Barra-
ecuta, and Driver ; that a general chase will then
take place, after which the ships will form in order
131 battle, each beating to quarters, clearing for
action, and engaging at cable's length ; that, when
the fight is over, an attack will be made with the
'gunboats of the whole fleet upon three steam-
frigates drawn up under Fort Monckton, and which
'will be captured by them. These arrangements
are of course dependent upoi time, and, as already
stated, the Queen's pleasure ; but the gunboat
fight, which is brought near shore for the gratifica-
tion of the general public, is expected to be the
finest sight of all.
While the public on shore are exhaustin all their
energies in the scramble for tickets and g lodgin
the ships—the " Great Duke" alone excepted—are
as a_
goinr, to
.h R quiet as if nothing unusual was
_appen. Sir T. Cochrane is giving his ‘
flagshigigantic
bin p a fresh coat of paint
.and an extra scrub-
g, in contemplation of her Majesty's visit, and
:for the last two days no visitors have been received

*
*
*
*

The Port-Admiral has issued the following order
for the guidance of parties on Thursday :
" NAVAL REVIEW NOTICE.

"Sailing-vessels and boats are requested not to
attempt to cross the line of the ships of war about to be
reviewed on the 11th inst., or on any account to pass
between the columns.
"The steamers should keep to leeward of the columns
or ships in order of sailing, as the smoke might prevent
signals being quickly noticed, thereby causing acci-
dent. Masters of vessels must be aware that the
evolutions of so large a number of ships of war require
a considerable space. They are, therefore, requested to
steer accordinqly, and not close in to interrupt the
evolutions that may be ordered, as they themselves
will alone be answerable should any accident occur.
" THOMAS COCHRANE, Vice-Admiral,
" Commander-in-Chief.
" Victory, in Portsmouth Harbour, August 8."
The f2llowing are the signals issued to-day for
the guidance of the Fleet to-moiro-x
For Review.—Weigh. The compass course will be
made from the Royal yacht to the Admiral ; on passing
the N ab,
Form line abreast.
Clear for action.
Use sails and steam.
Chase.

THE SUN, LONDON, TTHIRSDAy EVENING, AUGUST 11, 1853.

Vivid ; the House of Lords, the Stromboli ; the House
of Comtno;o:, the Ball Dug : and the Minitry, the
111 E,141e. The H.,!',:tA is intended for the conveyance
of guests not belonging to any special body in the State.
The Admiralty have several other steamers in commis-
sion on the occasion, but the only one that as yet has Shr
had its specific duties. for the day fixed is the Lizard,
which has been, with commendable ragard for the means
of gratifying public curiosity, placed at the disposal of St.
of
representatives of the press.
- •

SHARE MA.RICETS.-(THIS DAY.)

BRITISH RAILWAYS.

Paid 1 RAILWAYS.

100 Aberdeen .....
Ambg. Nottng. Bost
& Eastn.
all birmng. Wolverh. &
Stour Valley
28 Birkenhd. Lancsh. &
Cheshire Junct
all Do. Chesh. & Birk.,
£5O & £25 Cons._
181 Do., £2O
100 Bristol & Exeter
100 Caladonian
all Chester & Holyhead
all Cork and Bandon
all Cork, Black. & Pas&
45 Dublin&BelfastJunc.
all Dundee Perth &Aber-
deen Junction .....

SOUTHAMPTON, AUG. 10.

Since the receipt of the last intelligence the doings in
Southampton have increased tenfold. Not only are 27.
persons entering the town from all parts by railway)
but pedestrians, horsemen, and vehicles of every descrip- hh
St.
tion may be seen flocking in from at quarters. Arri-
13t'
vals from Bath, Bristol, and the extreme west have been „
showered upon us in large numbers during the day, and Fo
before bedtime there is little doubt that no accommoda- 20
tion for visitors will be left. 50
The great rush for packet tickets has considerably 25
enhanced the price, and many persons who are anxious
to seize every opportunity to " turn a shilling," have in
_5
many instances purchased up the whole of the tickets 25
issued for some of the conveyance packets, and are offer-
-18
ing the same to strangers at 100 and 150 per cent. over
their original cost. Whether these " energetic 22°5
speculators" will reap that harvest which their love of
money has induced them to suppose, is rather doubtful,
for, up to the present moment, fresh vessels are arriv-
ing for the convenience of all parties
The West India Company have availed themselves of
the use of their steam-ship Thames, which is now moored
at the West India buoy, and will lave early to-morrow bt'•
morning, with the directors of the company and their rt.
friends. St.
The Cadiz, the new screw steata-ship, belonging to St.
the Peninsular and Oriental Company, is also in readi- St.
ness to convey the directors and the staff of the com- St.
pany, who will be accompanied by many shareholders St.
and friends. The Tagus, also belonging to the same St.
company, has, we hear, been called into requisition for 12
the conveyance of gentlemen from Chobham, who may 50,
161
be fortunate enough to get the day,
iS9t
The South-Western Railway has, since the morning,chartered three ships, in addition to their own, from 14
London, which are expected to arrive during the night, 50
for the purpose of conveying excursionists (as per adver- 20
tisements) to the "great sight." The traffic on this line 111 to-day has been immense. Not only has nearly every 10
carriage been drained from the station, but outward St.
trains have been obliged to await the arrival of an en- St.
gine before they could proceed on their journey. 20
The officials at the Telegraph office have likewise had 10
their work to do, for messages have arrived by dozens !t,;
calling upon parties to prepare tickets for fresh comers Zo
at any price rather than not at all. 25
All the yachts in connection with the port have left, 25
and even watermen's boats are at a premium. Scarcity st
of wind, however, prevents the demand being so great 8,
as it otherwise would ; but with the proviso should the St.
wind be favourable, there is no doubt they will all be St.
engaged. 50
By nine o'clock to-morrow morning there will be a 25
great change in the present bustling appearance of 100
Southampton ; and although all cannot be present, yet S
those who may be able to avail themselves will have the 06K
satisfaction of witnessing that which, in their generation, "56
may never occur again. 20

all Do. New
all East Angran (£25 L.
& E. & L. &D.)
all Do., (£lB E. & H.)
all Eastern Counties
all Eastern Union, Class
A. late E. U. Sh
8i Do., d 0...... .....
all Do B & 0

Closing Prices
Yesterday.

1100 East Lancashire . —,
all East & West Ind. Dk
& Binning. June
100 Edinburgh& Glasgow
14 Edinb. and Peebles_
'lOO Edinb.Prth.&Dunde
100 Glasgow & S.Western
100 Great Northern Stk
100 Do., A. Stock
100 Do., B. Stock
11.00 'Gt. Sth. &West.(lre )'
1100 Great Western
ii. Irleh South-Eastern
all Lancaster & Carlisle
11i Do., Thirds
100 Lam IL &Yorkshire
16 Do., Firths
114 Do., Wst. Riding Un.
all Leeds Northern
all Liv.Crsby.&Soutbpt.
all London & Blackwall
7 Lond. nib. & Sthend.
100 Lond.Bright.&S.Cst.,
100 London &N. Western
12 Do. Fifths
1 Do. ,10/.5h.,M&8...0
100 London & S.Western
42i Do., X5O
34 Do. .Z4O .. ..
all Lndndrry.&Coleraine
all Lndndrry. & Ennisk.
100 Manch.Shet&Linclu.
44 Do., Man. &Lin. lJn.
100 Midland .
100 Do. Birmingot Derby
174 MidlandG.West.(l.l%)
174 \
Do. 4 Shares ......• ...
all Newcastle &Carlisle..
100 Newmarket............
44 Do. Bury Extensions
174 Newpt.Aberg daltfd.
IP.
lawal117: Ni51ND&e:071:1:14:35a.5te&rWw.eE.varf.n.0..rni...e...5..n...ki.P......°1...1..in.e...13...t.:
I 3i Northu. Counties Un
▪ 100 North British ._ ......
i 16 North Devon, N 0.1..
5 111 Do., No. 2...•••• ••• ••
4
all Dc., A Deferred •..
8 Do., A B Guarantee
) 17t North Staffordshire..
) all North Western..
) 10 N. &S. Westrn. Juno
t. 100 Oxford Worcester &
Wolverhamptou.....
t. 100 Scottish Central
t. 100 Scottish Mi dland ...
100 Shrewsbury & Birmg
'lOO Do., L. & N. Westu
Guaranteed Stock
9 Shrewsby. & Ilerefd
all Shrewsby. & Chester
(Nor. W. Min.)
all Do. Halves, do.
all Do. Oswesay
6!. Shropshire Union
all- South Devon
100 South Eastern
all South Wales
15 S. Yorksh. River Dun
s—
. • . .
D 0...... • .
16!, Stockton & Hartlepl.
20 Thames Haven Dock
and Railway
17 Vale of Neath.........
all Waterfd. & Kilkenny
all Waterford&Limeri eh
14 West Cornwall..
21s. Wmbledon &Croydon
1 Woodford
100 York Newctl. &Berw
J 20 Do. Extensions
J 5 11 Do. G.N.E. Purchase'
St. 100 \York &N. Midland..

(Front the Times.)
The naval display which gathers this morning to the
magnificent harboar of Portsmouth and the waters of
the Solent no inconsiderable portion of the population of
this metropolis, and of the southern counties of England,
is such a spectacle as hardly any man living has wit-
nessed, and no one living could witness elsewhere.
Larger armaments have doubtless been assembled on our
coasts during the war. and on the eve of the great naval
expeditions which have given to the British flag its im-
perishable renown ; larger fleets have ploughed their way
homeward, shattered with sea-fights and encumbered
with prizes, from the memorable conflicts which left the
British navy sole mistress of the seas. But, even in
those days of effort and of glory, the navy never pre-
sented a force comprising, In a comparatively small
number of ships, such a union of strength and skill as
may be seen in the squadron now assembled at Spithead.
The structure of our vessels is largely expanded and
improved ; and, although many successive naval ad-
ministrations have borne the not undeserved reproach of
wasted expenditure and abortive experiments, we have
now reached a point of excellence from which we
look down on all that had been done before. The
Duke of Wellington and the Agamemnon, which
will respectively lead the port and starboard divi-
sions of the squadron into this day's mimic battle,
are by general consent the finest ships of their
class which have been launched from our yards ;
and, as a sailing three-decker, the Queen will support
comparison, without disadvantage, against any rivals.
The main deck of these colossal vessels is the most
striking picture which the eye can behold of the stern
preparations and order of war. Armed with guns far
exceeding in weight of metal the greatest power of our
ships of the line in the early part of this century,—
with guns directed with a nicety and precision which
enable a three-decker to point her broadside as easily
as a sportsman aims his fowling piece,—such ships
would bring into battle a force which no enemy has
ever yet encountered, and which probably no vessel
afloat could sustain for half an hour without entire
destruction. But, in addition to these improve-
ments and augmentations of marine artillery, a new
power has been harnessed to these huge batteries
of the ocean, and the fanlike motion of a brazen
fin, revolving by the force of an engine placed below the
water-line, enables the helmsman to guide and place his
ship, against all the accidents of wind and tide, with as
much ease., and accuracy as a battery of field guns.
Naval tactics are the art of placing a vessel or a column
of vessels in the manner best calculated to insure the
destruction of the enemy, without enabling him to bring
his full strength to bear on the ships opposed to him ; and
the perfection of seamanship is to accomplish these ma-
noeuvres, in spite of th© two most variable elements in
nature—the wind and the ocean. The steam propeller has
conquered these obstacles. Henceforward the movements
of a squadron may be regulated with all but entire cer-
tainty, and the spectacle which many thousands of our
countrymen will this day witness would hardly be pos-
sible without the powerful means of propulsion recently
applied to the largest vessels in the navy. Some years
ago, when her Majesty reviewed a fleet of nine sail-of-
the line at Spithead, under Admiral Hyde Parker, it
was thought imprudent to attempt naval manoeuvres in
so contracted a space, and the ships, though under all
their canvas, remained at anchor. The movements of
the present review will be of a far more real and decided
character, and will give a most lively picture of the
grand and terrible spectacle of a naval action.
It is not, however, as a demonstration of the progress
made by our naval architects, our gunners, and our ma-
chinists in the art of war that this scene is most attractive
to us. To Englishmen the Navy is the symbol of
Empire. That long and glorious tradition of heroic
daring which runs through our naval annals is identified
with all that has made this country what it is. We
owe to it that power of discovery which has explored
distant coasts and planted our flag on conquered isles ;
we owe to it that means of action which renders the
people of this small kingdom denizens of the globe ; we
owe to it the extension of trade, the acquisition of wealth,
the amazing spread Of our language over lands upon
which the light of civilization has scarcely arisen, and
the diffusion of the great ideas of Christianity and free-
dom. It is because, wherever the wind blows and the
sea flows, a British ship-of-war may come to protect these
principles, and to pursue these objects, that our national
power is known and respected throughout the world.
So widely extended is this influence, and so great is the
terror of this English name, that the spectacle of to-day
is not a mere summer's pastime among the yachts of
Cowes, but a political occurrence, the significance of
which will be understood in every cabinet of Europe ;
and among the spectators of this scene there are some,
at least, who may learn, that if foreign governments
imagined the martial spirit of the country to have de-
clined, they were egregiously mistaken. We have no
doubt that the language of the peace societies and
their very shortsighted leaders has in this manner
led us to the verge of the very danger against
which they professed to guard us. They have not
succeeded in relaxing the vigilance or the energy of
their countrymen, but they have spread abroad a
false and mischievous opinion that the English people
are so absorbed in free trade and material prosperity
that no cause, however momentous, would rouse them
to war. That is a delusion which, as far as the prepa-
rations of the navy are concerned, it is well to remove.
This squadron consists of vessels several of which were
on the stocks twelve months ago ; the crews have been
raised by volunteering, under highly unfavourable cir-
cumstances, within eight months ; and, while our flag is
well represented at the Dardanelles by one fleet, the
Queen of England, surrounded by all that is most illus-
trious in this nation, is reviewing another fleet in the
Channel. No doubt the existence of this mighty force
imposes on the rulers of such a kingdom increased
responsibility that it be used within the strictest limits
of moderation an& legal right. But it is the existence
of such a powe? which enables them to speak with
authority when the occasion requires it. It is sup-
posed that, became Admiral Dundas has not passed the
Dardanelles, nor Admiral Corry the Sound, the Rus-
sian Government is the less conscious of their influence?
Is is imagined that the force of these squadrons has not
been felt when it was needed—in the Cabinet of St.
Petersburg and in the Conference of Vienna? The
answer is obvious ; these preparations for war, and
the alacrity )f the people of England to obey
the old call of resistance to injustice and
lence, have taken by surprise those foreign statesmen
who measure& us by the standard of Mr. Cobden's
patriotism ; aid the maintenance of peace, to which
we now look forward, is mainly due to the existence
of a naval free, not used for any purpose of pro-
vocation, but ready and efficient for every necessary
emergency. In the present state of Europe,. we
are satisfied that the maintenance of a consider-
able force aloat is one of the chief guarantees of
our security, and of the tranquillity of the world.
In other cointries you may see an array of troops,
horse and foot, far outnumbering the gallant bat-
talions at Dhobliakin —in other countries you may
and defence of fortresses far
witness the
scientific than Chatham ; but the
stronger and amtotarce.
evolutions or, a steam fleet. of line-ofibattle ships, manned
and salon
alone.
by British seamen, can happily be seen
in England alone. It
.is the result of w bat ages of
given usfor our defence, and for
courage and skill have
the defence of those great prinoiples to which in evil
days this Wand still affords a refuge. God grant it be
a perpetual refuge ! and that, while we retain our supre-
rn nival war, that power may never cease to be
maey.
exercised fir the defence of justice and the maintenance
of peace I

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