Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-07-01

the reign of Queen Victoria. The i,
Prince of Wales. representing Her
Majesty, reviewed fine fleet of foreign /,
warships, representing all the mari
time nations of the world, proudest,
atrongest and swiftest of these craft
being the United States armored cruiser
Brooklyn. flying the flag of Rear Al
miral Miller, and the heir apparent also
inspected about 20 miles OF British
warships, in which were 165 fighting
snips OF diff erent classes. The total
array of armed vessels was l66, manned
nv As. 600 men and moored in linea OF
five miles each. The IA foreign war
ships formed the sixth line. The
aggregate British tonnage was about
800, 900 tons,
Each maritime nation sent an ad-
miral in his flagship TO witness the re-
view. Each sent its best avail.
able ship and magnificent display re-
suited.
An interesting feature of the British
feet was tho training ships which com
prised three of the early iron clads, a
squadron OF cruisers which usually
winters, with training crew on board,
in the West Indies or in some other
warm latitude aud u fleet Of training
briggs which cruise in the neighborhood
of the British ports.
After lunch had been served on board. |
at 9. 80 o'cluck, the Victoria and Albert, |
with the principal royalties, left tha |
harbor for Spitbead, She was followed !
by the yacht Irene, by the Pando, the |
Carthage ard the Eifin. an admiralty
yacht these vessels carrying the dis
tiuguished visitors. Then came the
Euchantress, an admiralty yacht. with
Hon. George Goschen. first lord of the
\. -. y H. ri. lfxttK
yacht Wildfire, with Mr.. Chamberlain,
the secretar, OF state for the colonies,
and the colonial premiers. She was
followed by the Eldorado, carrying the
ambassadors and special ENJOYS, includ
ing Hon. Whitelaw Reid. Then came
the Danube, with the members of the
House OF Lords, the Campania, with
the members of the House of Commons,
and the Fire Queen, the yacht of the
commander-in.c chief at Portsmouth.
The commander-in- chief OF Ports
mouth, Sir NOVEL; Salmon, Vc.. X. G. b.,
transferred mis- 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 con-
struction.
The battleships Jupiter, Victorious
and Repown also nude their first ap-
pearance in the comm iHsioned fleet.
These four shiEs, as we'll as the Ma
jeHtic and Magnificent, are armed with
the new l2.inch wire guns, of which
each ship carries four, mounted en-
barbette, two forward and two aft.
These guns have range of about ID
miles, In addition, they carry IL six
inch quick firers, 1912 pdr. quick
firers and l2 3 pdr. Hotchkiss, and are
IA H., "a ,,bn
Another important addition to the
fleet was seen in the two cruisers Power
full and Terrible, the former commits
stoned for the China station vessels oi
$4,000 horse power ard u speed of ,.
knots They include in their arma-
ment two 92 inch guns and number
OF quick -firerH and Maxims.
All ths warshiEs will be illuminated
this evening with ''rainbows" o
electric lights extending from the stcn
to the bow, over the mastheads. II
addition. the hulls of all the vessel
present will be outlined by electric
lights.
There will be no moon visible, ant
the effect of simultaneous lighting u
every ship of the gigantic fleet anr
switching Oft may be expected TO b
magical.
On the occasion OF the visit of tn
Italian squadron to Spithead, in 1895
when they we're welcomed by fleet q
English ships, the electric illumina
tions formed one OF the prettiest feature
of the fetes.
The naval guests include Rear Ad
miral Ii. II. II. Prince Henry {
Prussia, X. G. NiCe-Admiral II. X
ii. the Duke of Genoa, Rear Admir-
Miller, u. S. NJ, and other distir
gushed flag officers.
Banquets balls garden parties, doct
yard visits and athletic sports will
~ included in the programme which it
supposed will fill the week subsequel
to the review.
International exhibitions have b.
come common occurrences, and Il
Spithead review Of 1897 may be r
garded as great international nav
exhibition from which, Doubtless II
seamsn and constructors Of the vario
nations will carry away much yaluab
information.
The waters of the Solent have pr
yiously witnessed many magnilice
reviews Of the naval forces of Engau
On April 23d, 1856, at the close
the Crimean war, great review W
held there, when there were columns
screw lineup battleshIps n at th
period the latest developmetA of nav
power-of screw frigates and corvette
fleet OF side wheel vessels and
ehoating batteries of the Merrim
type, while four squadrons Of lG0 GU
boats brought up the total number
ships tu 2i0.
This iiset carried 5000 guns aud v
of 80 GIL horse power Admira!
George Seymour was 10 chief co
mand Of this fine fleet which was
viwed by Her Majesty ON board
Royal yacht Victoria and Albert ]
changes in naval architecture viii
have taken place during the last
years have swept away all these woOc
vessels, the classes to which they
longed no longer exist, the sole rema
ing vessel which still takes the s
heing the royal yacht Victoria and
bert, which TO day flies the stand
OF tho Prince Of Wales at the naval
view. Probably a more beautiful yes
of her class has never been launcl
and the recent announcement that
model of new steel yacht TO repi
her has been submitted to tho GU
was not read without regret
The next great review hold at 81
head was on July l7th, 1867, when
Majesty, accompanied 10y the Sultal
Turkey, reviewed 4 fleet OF WOO
vessels and ironclads tuf which
most modern of the latter were
Minotaur, Achillea. Warrior, Isl