Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-07-16
THE ENGLISH GRAND NAVAL
REVIEW.

Spithead was the scene of magni- |
fcent naval review on the Esd of April, |
and one hundred thousand spectators
were present on sea and land. The fleet
numbered over 940 ships of war. big
and little, all steamers but two. The
war steamers comprised $4,000 horse
power, carried 5000 guns and % 600
men. The review included sixteen gun
boats and three floating batteries and ex
tended twelve miles along the water
east and west-across Spithead. The
fleet formed four squadrons, and per-
formed a number of naval maneuvers
for the edifcaIion of the Queen, and af-
terwards made sham attack on Ports
mouth Castle. The performance con-
cluded by an illumination of all the ships
with colored lights. The Courier and
Enquirer thus speaks of a grand naval
spectacle of the olden time, and the re-
cent display.
"In May, 1888, the waters of the
Straits of Dover exhibited the grandest
naval spectacle ever before seen or heard
of. The most formidable fleet that had
ever plcughed the deep. consisting of one
hundred and thirty ships, carrying eight
thousand sailors and twenty thousand
troops, was anchored off Calais, in the
shape of half moon, and Queen Of
England, Elizabeth, left her palace, and
went forth to meet it. She went not to
sail in its midst. and view its power, but
she went in person to her sea-ports to
arouse by her words the enthusiasm Of
her armies to defend the soil of England,
to destroy the power of this fleet and
sweep it from the ocean. For it was a
hostile feet, named by the Pope, The
GO Invincible Armada of SPAIN" and ii
had come to sweep the English from the
seas, burn their towns and dethronc
their Queen. The details of the grand
naval spectacle of 1888 were a real bat
tie, splendid naval maneYuers for tha
period, English fire ships blowing W
several of the Spanish ships, and the res
dispensing in defeat, to be cast away OF
the coasts of Scotland and Ireland
And during the naval spectacle and al
It's end, Queen Elizabeth was proul and
all England was proud with her.
On The Esd of April, 1856. another
grand naval spectacle was exhibited of
the coast of England. far exceeding ths'
OF the Spanish Armada, and forming the
grandest that has yet been known in the
history of the world. The largest and
most formidable feet that has ever up to
the present time ploughed the deep,
consisting of two hundred and forty
steam vessels, carrying three thousand
and two guns, propelled by thirty thou
sand six hundred and seventy-One horse
power, and manned by thirty thousand
men, was then drawn up in the road
stead of Spithead, in parallel lines ol
four or five miles in length, and this
time also, Queen of England, Victoria,
left Fer palace, and went forth to meet
the fleet. But she went in a far differ
ent manner from her great predecessor,
Elizabeth. She went not to arouse en-
/ thusiasm, but 10 hear the shouts of zen q.
thusiasm, and she sailed in the very
midst of the fleet, not to destroy it in de-
fence of England, but to vew the great
naval defence of England, to have it en-
comprising and surrounding her in its
"wooden walls For it was a peaceful
/ feet, comes from the seas where the
voice of war had been hushed, to exhibit
itself in peace. The details Of this last
great naval spectacle on the coast Of
England were some peacefulmaneuvres,
sham attack on a castle and Victoria
was proud rs she looked upon it, and all
England was proud with her.