The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-17
King Edward and Queen Alexandra
Bid Them Goodbye and War
ships Boom Farewell salutes-
BRILLIANT NAVAL DISPLAY
ALL BRITISH VESSELS IN THE o
LENT DRESS AND NAN SHIP.
spIendor of Yesterdays Scene i'm
Marked Contrast with the Re-
cent Solemn Naval Display.

PORTSMOUTH, England. March 16.-
Amid the firing of a royal salute by the as
sembled feet and hearty cheers from the
c~oncourse of people gathered at all points
of vantage, the steamer Ophir, with the
Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York
on board. started at about 4 o'clock this
afternoon on the voyage which is not to
terminate until their royal highnesses have
made a tour of the world. including the
British empire. Troops and bands of music
playing the national anthem lined the
quays, and all the ships were manned and
dressed. brilliant groups Of naval, military
and civil officials in full uniforms. with
masses of the public forming a combination
showing both the state and popular char
acter OF The send-off. King Edward and
Queen Alexandra. on board the royal yach-
Victoria aad Albert, with eight torpedo
boat destroyers, accompanied the Ophir a
few miles out.
The day was a busy one for the members
OF the royal family. In spite of the cold
and wet weather large crowds of people
5ourneyed here from the surrounding towns
10 view the ceremonies. The harbor was
decorated with bunting. and all the ships
were dressed. Before the duke and duchess
left the Ophir and joined King Edward and
Queen Alexandra on board the Victoria and
Albert, where their Majesties passed the
night. The royal party soon afterward
landed at. the jetty, where King Edward
conferred the Victoria medal on the blue
jackets OF III. NJ. S. Excellent, who dragged
the funeral gun carriages of Queen Vic
toria after the horses became unmanage-
able at the Windsor railroad station. The
members of the royal party had luncheon
on the Ophir.
After luncheon the King toasted the Duke
and Duchess of Cornwall and York and
wished them a prosperous voyage. His
Majesty said that one of the objects of the
tour was to express appreciation of the
loyal help rendered by the British colonists
IN the South African campaign. Tn Duke
OF Cornwall and York proposed the Kings
health. The guests at the luncheon, who
numbered about seventy, included Joseph
Chamberlain.
After their majesties returned TO the
Victoria and Albert the preparations for
the departure of the Ophir were COM
pieted. The royal yacht left the harbor
shortly In advance of the Ophir, and a.
they passed the historic flagship Victoria
the crews of the warships in port manned
sides and gave the travellers a parting
cheer. simultaneously the naval guns fired
a royal salute. This was taken up by the
shore batteries and repeated by the cruis-
crs in the roadstead.
The sky was overcast. but otherwise the
weather was fine when the Ophir cast off
her mOOringS and started on her long VOy-
age. Eight torpedo boat destroyers steamed
astern and remained in close attendance
until the Ophir and royal yacht parted
company at Spithead, whence the cruisers
Diadem and Niobe escorted the Ophir TO
sea, while the destroyers conveyed the
royal yacht back to port. Their Majesties
then returned to London. The last farewell
signals were exchanged between their
Majesties and the Duke and Duchess of
Cornwall and York near the Nab Ightship,
though their respective vessels remained in
sight of each other until the Ophir rounded
the end of the Isle of Wight and entered
the channel, bound for Gibraltar.
Contrasting the gayety and splendor Of
the departure of the duke and duchess
with the last voyage of the dead Queen
across the SOlent. a correspondent says:
when the Ophir weighed anchor for her
long voyage the Alberta piloted her down
the harbor with the King and Queen. Prin-
cess Victoria and Prince Charles on deck,
and with a fleet of torpedo boat destroyers
astern, and when the royal yacht finally
turned within sight of Osborne. the same
swarm of black warshipS which headed the
funeral fotilla arcoss the Solent to the ac-
compartment of booming guns and the
requiems of naval bands escorted the King
TO Portsmouth. The joyous imperial func-
tion is a Renaissance of the majestic trib-
ute. of sea power to Queen Victoria. These
details were deliberately planned for the
Ophir, and two royal yachts, with the
Kings family, last night were near the
anchorage where the Queens bier remained
Under guard of a mighty fleet. The mission
OF the Duke of Cornwall to the colonies
was one of Queen Victoria's last imperial
projects, and the royal family were united
inl carrying it out. The Windsor naval
guard, which saved the situation when the
horses attached TO the gun carriage became
unmanageable, were at Portsmouth to-day
at Queen AleXandra's request TO receive
Victorian decorations for their last service
10 the beloved Queen. While the work of
empire building goes on Queen Victoria is
not forgotten.