The record-union., 1897-06-27

Astria- Hungary, by the Wien, Vice
Admiral Hermann, Baron Won Spann.
Spain, by the Vizcaya, Rear-Admiral
Segismonda Barnejoy.
Portugal, by the Vasco de Gamo,
Captain Garrett de Vaconeellos.
Netherlands, by the Evertson, Rear
Admiral Englebrecht.
Denmark, by the Heligoland, Rear
Admiral Koch.
Sweden. b the Gotha, Rear-Admiral
Won Krogh.
Russia. by the Rossia, Rear Admiral
Nicholas Skyrydloff.
United States, by the Brooklyn, Rear
Admiral j. n. Miller.
An interesting feature of the British
fleet was the training ships, which COM
prised three of the early ironclads, a
squadron of cruisers which usually win
ters, with a training crew on board, in
the West Indies or in some other warm
latitude, and a fleet of training brigs,
which cruise in the neighborhoOd Of the
British ports.
The British fleet assembled June 22d,
and was drawn up in four lines, extend
ing from abreast of Portsmouth Harbor
to distance of about five miles to the
westward.
Following the precedent of former
naval reviews, there was free access to
the review ground up to the hour
named for the official inspection. when
all vessels with visitors anchored in
their assigned positions. and the tour
of the fleet was commenced by the
Prince of Wales.
The Commander n-Chief of this port,
Sir Nowall Salmon, V. c.. K. c. B.,
transferred his flag from the Victory to
the battleship Mars. one of the latest
additions to the fleet, and which has
been built and fitted out in two years
a great advance in rapidity of construc-
ton.
The great battleships Jupiter, Victo-
rious and Renown also made their first
appearance in the commissioned fleet.
These four ships, as we'll as the Ma
jestic and Magnificent, are armed with
the new twelve-inch wire guns, of
which each ship carries four, mounted
en- barbette, two forward and two aft.
These guns have a range of about fif-
teen miles. In addition they carry
twelve six-inch quick firers, eighteen
tweve-pounder quick-firers and twelve
three FOUNDER HotchkisS, and are fit
ted with five torpedo discharge tubes.
Another important addition to the
fleet was seen in the two cruise<s Pow
erful and Terrible-the former commis-
stoned for the China station-vessels of
5000 horse power and a speed of -
knots They include in their armament
two 9.2-inch guns and a number of
quick-firers and Maxims
The waters of the Solent have prevl-
ously witnessed many magnificent re-
views of the naval forces of England.
On April 23 1856, at the close of the
Crimean War, a great review was held
there, when there were columns of
screw-line of battle-shipS-all that per-
riod the latest development of naval
power-of screw frigates and corvettes,
a fleet of side-wheel vessels, and of
floating batteries" of the MerFimac
type, while four squadrons of 16O gun
boats brought up the total number of
ships to 24O.
This fleet carried 3,002 guns and was
of 306I1 horse power Admiral Sir
George Seymour was in chief command
of this fine fleet, which was reviewed by
her majesty on board the royal yacht
Victoria and Albert. The changes sin
naval architecture which have taken
place during the last fifty years have
swept away all these wooden vessels.
The classes to which they belonged no
longer exist, the sole remaining vessel
which still takes the seas being the
royal yacht Victoria and Albert, which
to-day flies the standard of the prince
H.
bly, more beautiful vesseIof her class
has never been launched, and the re-
cent announcement that the model of a
new steel yacht to replace her has been
submitted to the Queen was not read
without regret.
The next great review held at Spit
head was on July II, 1867, when her
majesty, accompanied by the Sultan of
Turkey reviewed a fleet of wooden YES
sells and ironclads (of which the most
modern Of the.latter We're the Minotaur,
Achilles, Warrior, Black Prince, Belle
rophon and Lord Clyde under the COM
mand of Sir Thomas Paisley, Bart.
K. c. B.
On June %, 1875. the waters Of Spit
head were again the scene of a naval
jesty the Shah of Persia.
On August 13, 1878, her majesty in
spected the fleet at Spithead, and on
July %, 1887, on the occasion of the
Queens Jubilee, a large fleet was again
assembled there and reviewed by the
sovereign.
The most modern ships present on
that occasion were the Collingwood
Imperieuse and Conquerer. The fleet
was composed of 134 vessels, the per-
scnnel of 10000 officers and men.
During the past decade enormous ad
vance has been made both in the num-
ber and construction of the ships of the
royal navy, and this cannot better be
exemplified than by the fact that of the
twenty-one battle-ships reviewed by
the Prince of Wales In behalf of the
Queen to-day, four only took part in
the Jubilee ceremony of 1887, while of
the forty three cruisers present not one
existed in 1887. Needless to say the
thirty torpedo-boat destroyers are of
class which has only been introduced
during the past five years, and which
appears to be destined to play very
important part in modern sea warfare.
--
CUBAN AFFAIRS.