New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-01
90 TONS OF ROSES
Used each year for
COIGATE'S
Soaps and Perfumes.

military and commercial uses.
The dullest observer the fee; must have boon
Impressed during the canal journey with the mill
tarv a. well az commercial character of the enter
prise In the course Of the sixty-four miles ira
yersed from sea to sea soldiers were constantly
in sight and all the open spaces and highland APP
proaches were guarded by strong bodies Of mill
tarv and police. II the country had been in 4
state Of siege there could hardly have been a
larger display Of military force along tho line OF
the canal. In driving along the waterway carly
in the week met the spiked helmet at every turn
Of the road At all important crossings consifera-
BILE bodies of troops were massed and preparations
we're making for a weeks service along the line
The imperial yacht was accompanied for long dIs-
tances by escorts Of cavalry wherever the ROADS or
meadows would permit service OF this kind spec
tators were not allowed to look on at their own
discretion from the banks of the canal but were
dislodged whenever they occupied stations COM
manding too close view The procession OF the
vessels was surrounded with military safeguards
and precautions on land and this feature was
Characteristic not only OF German methods III
conducting ceremonials of state, but also OF the
principal object of the canal.
The canal project would never have been under
taken on commercial grounds alone. important as
the saving in time will be for the coasung Meet
and numerous as are the dangers TO shipping
avoided by the discontnuance OF navigation or
Skagerack Cattegat and the Sound. The naval
value OF the canal has been recognized from
the outset by the Emperor and HE advisers
1t affords direct facilities for concentrating
at an hours notice the fleets in the Baltic
and the North Sea. German experts esu-
mate by methods of their own that the canal
Is equivalent to a dozen or more ironclads added
70 the German Navy. 1t is from THE point Of view
that the Emperor has justified the construction
OF the canal. Its stratcgical Importance Is dis
closed by the Notifications already constructed at
each end When the Emperor's yacht emerged
from the canal at Holtenau under the eyes ~
thousands Of III loyal subjects. Fricdrichsort,
Falkenstein M0ltenort and Stosch. commanding
the entrance to the harbor were ready To welcome
him with thunders of artillery II the fleet had not
been there: and long way or on the edge OF the
inner harbcr Of kiel. there was a long line ~
coast-defence ironclads which had virtually been
built FOR the protection OF the new waterway
THE MOST WONDERFUL FLEET.
The military character Of the enterprise was
emphasized by the presence in the harbor OF TN"
most wonderful fleet OF armored and una'mored
vessels which has ever assembled In any port oi
the modern world. There were l25 vessels % war
OF all classes bearing as many as sixteen nan'haI
flags fully manned and with every gun exposed.
The British Navy was represented by four OF It's
most powerful battleships the Royal Sovereign
Empress Of India. Repulse and Resolution; three
cruisers the Blenhem. Endymon and Beliona'
and several OF the fastest torpedo IN service"
The Italian feet was equally strong. The lIc m
berto and Sardegna were battleshps Of the most
formidable type. with record for speed when
armed them with manoeuvring power Of the first
,f.e 4
the Andrea Doria and Rugg.ere di LAURA were
battleships carrying very heavy guns. The Siron-
boil and Etrura were fast cruisers. and several
torpedo-boa were anchored near them The
French battleship Hoche and the cruiser Dupuy
de LONE answered In kind to the Russian battle
ship Imperator Alexander II and the cruiser
Rurik Austria Hungary had three cruisers.
Spain a battleship and cruiser. and Denmark.
Norway Sweden. Portugal. Ruman!a ana Turkey
were represented by ships new or old.
The White Squadron from the United States had
three ships in line of Bellevue. with the German
fleet above and below them; and the Ma:Dlehead
was in the canal toward the end OF the procession
Germany had eight OF her best battleships on ex-
hibit!on, with six coast-defcnce ships two u her
finest cruisers. Ave dispatch vessels eight train
ing-ships and more than thirty torpedo-boats In
ornaments It the most powerful feet ever
anchored In any port. No fleet approaching Il In
defensive armor formidable batteries and ma
noeuvring resources had ever before been seen.
IIONORS FOR THE EMPRESS.
On the previous evening the coming OF the
Empress had been honored by salute Of thir-
ty-one guns from the prominent warships.
about two thousand five hundred being fred In
a few minutes. Al O'Clock in the morning. by
precoacerted plan the feet decked itself in
ot,,l>1 of h.s mi rN
of the Queens accession to the throne the Brit
ish iagships displayed the royal standard and
at noon. by the Emperors order salute Of
twenty-one guns was fired from all the war
ships as compliment to his grandmother.
Then the royal standard on the British flag
ships was replaced by the German ensign and
all the vessels Of the feet were fully manned
to be in readiness to greet the Emperor.
A splendid spectacle. indeed. was this wonder
full fleet in the broad ford of Kiel; but even
with every flag and streamer nying and with
all the colors respondent against the back
ground OF the dark waters OF the bay. the effect
somewhat disappointing.
Modern navies cannot reproduce In" glorles
OF the ships IT, the-line snd old-fsshionrd frig-
ates Of Nelson's tifs". An old-fiine manof-Wh
with every yard manned and the rigging fore
and aft ablaze with color was thrilling sight.
A feet Of such vessels dccked with bunting
and with sailors swarming in the rigging was
a spectacle for gods and men. The modern
battle-ship. with all It's defensive armor and
tremendous batteries, cannot be dressed for
holiday like one Of the heavily rgged frigates
Of former days. 1t is clumsy fortress In the
water. without adequate facilities for dccorativ"
effect 1t Is an engine Of war. lighting ma
chine. a marvel Of engineering science. but
with all the potency Of Its ornaments. II has
not the same power Of arousing enthusiasm
which the d-time ships have Exercised in the
past The feet in Kiel HarbOr. while unrivallcd
In destructive energies and defensive resources,
lacked capacity for lighting up imagination.
IL was an Immense combination Of smokestacks,
machne-shOps. enKinc-houses and ordnance fac
tories trcked with bright bunting. but
deficient In spectacular charm and fascination
THE ENTHUSIASM I'NB, TDED
Whatever might be the 1t defects Of
the pageant there no lack Of enthusiasm
among the thousands Of spectators swarming
into KEEL at early hour in tho morning and