Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-06-28
THE JUBILEE.

L II Il y u O1DCC.
Considered from every point of view,
the Queen's Jubilee celebration, held in
commem oration of the remarkable
record breaking reign of Victoria which
was concluded in Eogland on Saturday
by the greatest naval demonstration of
modern times, has been unique in his
toy. All the civilized world has con-
tributed to make the occasion memor.
able, and the spectacles that were pre-
sented-civic, military, naval and so
cisl-have been such as to excite not
alone interest but the admiration of the
millions who took part in the great Gel
ebration. The superb naval display of
Saturday was a fitting finale to the
striking features that have followed each
other with almost bewildering success
ion during Jubilee week.
1t is more than remarkable that, not
withstanding the great throngs thu
| viewed the various demonstration 8, no
mishsp worthy of mention occurred,
and it is q subject for congratulation
that such superb weather should have
prevailed as to enable all the features
of the celebration to be carried out
without in any way having their in
te,est impaired.
1t has been an extraordinary test of
British loyalty, and the result proves
that no more popular sovereign yes
than the one who has borne the crown
of England for 60 years.
Jubilee week came 10 fitting end
with the magnificent demonstration
of Great BritaiD's naval strength oil
Portsmouth. The royal yacht Victoria
and Albert, bearing the Prince OF
Wales, who represented the Queen
upon this occasion, passed in
review before four lines of British naval
vessels, each line being five miles long.
The lines included 165 fighting ships OF
various classes with total disp'ace-
ment of GO c 20 tons, earring 900 heavy
guns in their main batteries, and at
l.9st twice that number Of machine guns
and other small pie ces and manned by
over As 600 men. II should be remem-
bered that the Channel feet, the British
home squadron, was absent from lis
station, having been sent TO the Medl-
terranean some months ago. The Ad-
milalty did not rec all single ship from
any of the numerous foreign stations
where Great Britain finds it necessary
to make considerable display of naval
power, and yet Great Britain rem aimed
in position to draw upon her reserve
of naval ships and make an exhibition
of paval power in honor of the sixtieth
anniversary of the present reign such
as has never been equsled in the history
of the world.
Nor was the fleet drawn up in the
Solent Saturday padded out with obso-
lete types of vessels and unseaworthy
nondescripts. Nearly ever ship in TIA
magnificent array was new, and repre-
sentative of the latest ideas of naval ef-
ficiency in the class to which it belong
ed. Four of the twenty -one lattleships
in the line made their fls! apps arance
Saturday, in the commissioned fleet Of
Great Britain, and this remark applies
also to the monster cruisers. the largest
by far in the world, the Powerful and
the Terrible.
No country hut Great Britain-indeed
not al the naval powers of Europe put
together-.could have made under the
same conditions demonstI alton ofsuch
imposing magnifcence.
In fne, Britannia revealed herself as
the upchallengeeble mistress of the
seas. The naval review is conceded
TO have been the most splendid dem
opstration of the kind ever witnessed.
The Prince of Wales also reviewed b
magnificent fleet of foreign warsbips
representing all the maritime nations
of the world.
The illumination OF the fleet at Spit
head on Saturday night was one of the
most charming sights OF q week of de-
: liehtful spectacles. The night was
pleasantly dark and the waters of the
Solent were reposefully quiet. 1t was
all ghostly, fantastic, suggestive Of
fairyland and the world Of magic.
A minute before nine o'clock the
miles of waters showed only such lights
as are usually associated with shipping
reds and greeDs-while lights at mast
heads, CLEANS that, like tiny rows of
diamonds, howed the ports of passen-
ger craft, with here and there some
u parti colored lights that had been light
ed on private vessels before the time.
At nine there was flash, rocket
\ from the Renown ripped into the dark
blue, and, bursting with shower of
splendid stars, signsled the lighting up
: OF the fleet. The e,ick of the rocket
Q had not turned towards the water ere
!. the mighty fleet was skeletoned in bril-
+ liant yellow light, hulls, smokestacks,
spars and cordage being thrown into
strong relief. Light lines ran in grace
full curves along the sweep of the mon
i sters now ghostly gray in the sudden
: glare. and from bow to stern over the
]. mastheads were garlands of incandes-
il cent light like '.jeweled necklaces hung
e upon the horns OF night"
A few minutes later they vanished
: with the suddenness of their appear
,. auoe, leaving the spectator staring at
y y the place where they had been. Then
L the darkness was broken again,
this time by numberless search
, lights which, with uncanny glare, like
6 the ewes of hundred cyclops, pat.