The sun., 1897-06-27
Miles OF WARSHIPS.
Greatest Display Of Sea Power
the World Ever Saw.
1866 BRITISH VESSELS.
Thirteen Foreign Powers Repre-
sented In the Great Review.

Ihe Unpreoedented Marine Display or Portn-
u,outh - Half . thousand warships and
Merchantmen Fiji square Miles OF water
The Prince or wales. Pumng Cigar, |
steans Through the Lanes OF War Craft |
Ringing Cheers from 90. 900 Jack Tars-An |
the Vessels Gay with BnntinE-It was .
Zine Day to SEQ Them-Rain Followed the |
Review, bat Held Up for the NiEht Hnuuina-
tions-Then the Strait cleaned with Fire
ana Our Breokiyn Made the Finest Display
Over Half or highlands Total Fleet In Line,
Special cabls Despateh to THE Sun.
PORTSMOUTH, England, Juno 26.-what
should rank as the greatest achievement OF
man has been tho dispute Of many centuries.
The answer Of this generation has been found
to-day in the marvellous display of human
handwork spread upon the waters OF the great
roadstead stretching between Portsmouth
harbor and the Isle Of Wight Half thousand
great leviathans were there. creatures Of iron
assembled from every quarter Of tho globe.
They were of every size, shape, and description;
graceful, majoctio liners, fearsome, repulsivo
battleships, impudent little torpedo boats, each
and every one embodyine the most wonderful
discoveries and creations of the brain Of man.
1t was sufficiently imposing as q British naval
review; but the other craft, English and foreign,
outnumbered the British fighting force. and
served somewhat to minimize tho Admiralty
display as q mere spectacle. Even the most ig-
norant layman. however. did not need to be told
that he was witnessing the most stupendous ag-
gregation Of sea power this or any other ago has
seen, no matter how estimated-in tonnage, mo-
tive power. or destructive force. which some
body has suggested should be reckoned In
smithereens.
These 165 vessels comprising tho British feet
were moro formidable than any weapon with
which any nation has armed itself during tho
10000 years now included within human records.
The chief political object of this jubilee cole
bration is therefore accomplished. Great
Britain has shown her rivals and her own chill
dren tho vast resources at her command for Of
fence and defence. and she fondly hopes tho
lesson may DO taken to heart In moro than ono
foreign capital
She gained, at all events. ono unsought
trihnte. Nature herself acknowledged the great
ness and grandeur OF the occasion. The after
noon, after foggy morning. has been beauti-
fully bright clear. and cool. The firing Of royal
salutes by the big guns Of every ship in the vast
feet amounted to . terrific cannonado, and tho
affect was the same al that which aometimes
follows great battle where there 10 FREQ use of
artillery. A heavy shower, entirely local,
deluged the scene an hour after the review was
finished.
The British men-of.war Of oil types and classes
actually present In the i've columns moored at
spthead numbered 165 pennants. 1t must not,
however. be assumed that all the vessels in the
pageant are effective for battle. From the num-
Der In limo d, twelve vessels, employed in train
ing and coast guard work. must be deducted, and
also sixteen vessels from another line, which
perform similar duties. The number Of effective
fighting ships 10 thus reduced to 1877, and
stern critics further eliminate tho Alexandra,
the flagship Of the Superintendent Of the Naval
Reserves, and the Inflexible, on the ground that
they are the only ships Of the fighting line car
rying muzzle-loadinR guns.
The force present has. in numbers. been ex-
ceeded ON previous occasions, notably in 1855.
at the close Of the Russian war, when upward of
$50 vessels were reviewed by the Queen, in
GLIDING 14O gunboats and so mortar boats.
In every other respect, In powers Of offence
and defence. in homogeneity. mobility and
preparation for active work, tho naval force
now collected at Spithead has never been
equalled. Moreover. It has independent squad
rons In foreign and colonial waters numbering
125 pennants.
Not the least remarkable point about the feet
Is the fact that by far tho larger part las been
built within ten years. or the ironclai Is only
seven antedate the Queens jubilee in 1887,
while In the other classes-oruisers. torpedo
boats. and commerce destroyers-the proportion
OF old boats 10 still smaller.
Portsmouth has probably never in her entire
history held such enormous crowds OF people.
Hundreds of trains poured the multitude into
the town from early in the morning until shortly
before the arrival of the Prince Of Wales. at
o'clock. 1t was a magnificent day. The entire
water front between Portsmouth and the Isle of
Wight was simply filed with ships Of war. Tho
fact that all Of these, with few exceptions. few
the English flag seemed to impress itself on tho
minds OF the spectators who crowded the excur-
sion steamers, and tho consequence was tho
almost incessant playing of God Save tho
Queen" Patriotism was unbounded. 1t was
enough to mako people patriotic, for here wero
nVem miles Of British warships. . display OF power
unprecedented In the history Of the world.
The ships were disposed in fve long lines
each, extending from Fort Gilkicker, in Ports
mouth harbor, TO q point opposite Osborne, Isle
OF Wight. The outermost line was composed OF
twenty.nine ships. all battleships and cruisers.
Ihe second limo was similarly composed Of thirty
ships; the third Of thirty-eigh ships. Running
eastward as far as the twenty.ninth ship. the
third line was composed entirely OF small cruis
efs. torpedo gunboats. and gun vessels, while
the last nine ships were the nne. mastriggod
vessels Of the training squadron. relics of the old
oays before steam superseded sail.
inside this was the fourth line, which was one
OF the most interesting for no fewer than thirty
othe forty'nine vessels composing II wero do
NfoSers OF the latest pattern. The remainder
were smaller craft.
Lying close inshore on the Islo Of Wight side
were the foreign ships. as follows:
Austrian. Wien; German. KONG Wilhelm
spanish, Nizcaya; American, Brooklyn; Rus
sish' hossIai French. Pothuau; Dutch, Evert
sem Portuguese, Vasco dc Cana; Norwegian
thtzof; Swedish, Gotta; Danish. Hegoland
Japanese, Full. and the King OF Slams graceful
cruiser yacht, Msha Chakrakoi.
Inc Brooklyn was decidedly the most note
worthy ship in the vast assembage from the
apecAcular point of view. Her great factory
Valnheys and odd, tumble away sides, her high
white hull and two immense flags. made pic
'ule absolutely unique even In Portsmouth
"uich Tor generations has been accustomed L
,ooH upon all the queerest naval craft the work