Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-01
QUEENS FUNERAL
Preliminary Exercises Held To-
 Day With Great Pomp.
THE GREAT NAVAL DISPLAY.

Homage to the Dead Tictoria-Jap
 anese Warship Hatsuse, the Biggest
 In the World, Was In the Line.
 Cowes. Feb 1-Wtth grand, yet mournful display of naval pomp and power, the body of Queen Victoria was borne this afternoon from it's quiet resting place in Osborne house to Portsmouth the heart of England's navy. The half hundred fighting ships that this afternoon fired their broad sides and minute guns were inferior in strength to tue force gathered in the same waters for the jubilee cele- bration, but the lack of formidable ness was fully atoned for by the sol emnity of this fleet in mourning. Over still waters, between the roll of the siX-pounders, came the dirge of Chopin's and Beethoven's funeral marches. The crews stood silently along the decks, and the flags dropped half way down the halyards. The most powerful fleet England could gather on short notice lay inert and silent for the mournful strains of the bands and the woeful sounds of guns that betokened neither peace nor war, but death. Past these and past the Hohenzollern, the huge though cum bersome CamperdoWn, the Rodney and the Benbow, on through the line of ba1tleships; still Oh. till Japan's Hatsuse. the biggest warship in the world. was left astern and the Ger man Baden was beam to beam with Nice-Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson's splendid flagship, the Majes- ic, of the Channel squadron, the naval funeral procession slowly steamed. Ahead were eight torpedo boat de- stroyerS, and seldom have these speedy craft drawn their long black hulls so sluggishly through the water.
 Padding leisurely after them was tue royal yacht Alberta, half screened by the awning on the poop, the royal coffin placed on q crimson dais. the curtains of which were drawn back and tied to four poles, leaving free to view the magnificent casket and robes. Sometimes abeam, sometimes ahead, was the Trinity house yacht Irene, watching the course. Whia in the wake of the coffin came the foray yacht Vic toria and Albert, with King Edward and Queen Alexandra and the English royal family; the royal yacht Osborne. with other royalties; the imperial yacht Hohenzollern. with Emperior William. the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and others; the admiralty yacht Enchantress, and a Trinity house yacht with officials on board.
 The main squadron of battleships and cruisers was moored two and a half cables apart, in o::e line. extend- ing from Cowes to Spithead.
 The Channel fleet, under the con- mand of Nice-Admiral Sir Harry Ho1dsworth Rawson, formed the east ern portion. and the Reserve feet un- der Rear Admiral Sir Gerard Henry Noel. formed the western portion.
 The foreign warships were moored southwest of the British ships, in the order of their arrival. and alongside of them were moored eight British gunboats, the Antelope. Cleaner, Skip Jack. Leda. Rattlesnake, Alert, Gree and Speedwen.
 After leaving Trinity pier, the AL berta. with her attendant escort steamed along the deep channel hoI tween the coast of the Isle of Wight and the single line of battleships and cruisers.
 The main line was as follows, begin ming at Cowes:
 The Alexandra, Camperdown. Rod ney, Benbow, Collingwood. Colossus. Sans Farrell, Nile, Howe, Melampus, Severn, Galatea. Bellona, Pactolus, Pelorus, Diana, Conquerer, Arrogant. Minerva, Niobe, Hero. Hood, Trafal- gar. Resolution. Jupiter, Hannibal, Mars, Prince George and Majestic.
 Minute guns were fired by all the ships in the Solent and at Cowes. commencing when the Alberta left the pier.
 Each ship ceased firing immediately after the tail of the procession had passed her.
 After the procession had passed the Majestic, the forts and ships in Ports mouth harbor commenced firing min ute guns until the Alberta was along side the wharf.
 No standards were displayed and en- signs and union jacks were at half mast.
 On the approach of the procession the ships were manned and the guards and bands were paraded. The guards presented arms as the Alberta passed each ship and then rested on their arms reversed until the procession had passed.
 A detachment of marines and the admirars band was on board Nelson's old flagship. the Victory, in Ports mouth harbor.
 All the sea front and dock yards wore manned by marines and sailors. while Barrow Island was manned by boys from the training ship St Vincent ard men from the gunnery ship Exce!- lent.
 When tue Majestic was left astern 1aae Alberta was moored for the night. 4n.nlorrow the body will be taken ashtre at Portsmouth and thence con- yeyeq to London and Windsor for the last tributes to the great queen.
 The land ceremony, consisting in bringing the coffin from Osborne house to the pier at Cowes, was scarce ly less interesting than the naval function. At noon the gorgeous trap pings of the 'Chappelle Ardente was disfurbed. Over the coffin was thrown the coronation robe worn by the tirl queen. On this was. placed the royal rcgaha, wand. sceptre and crown, which were scarcely ever used by the qup6n in her lifetime, as she preferred dnmmy resala which will be buried stfh her at Frogmore.