Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-02-02

With CannOn's Roar, Betokenins
Nations Sorrow-Remains Resting
at Portsmouth For the Night.
CowEs, Isle of Wight, Feb With
grand, yet mournful, display of naval
pomp and power, the body of Queen
| Victoria was borne this afternoon from
its quiet resting place in Osborne House
to Portsmouth, the heart of England 5
navy. Not since Admiral Ceryera' S
| ships lighted up the Cuban coast with
| their self-consuming fires has anything
been seen which in tragic splendor ap-
preached the naval spectacle of today
The half hundred red fighting ships
that this afternoon fired their broadsides
and minute guns were inferior. in
strength to the force gathered in the
same waters for the jubilee celebration,
but the lack of formidableness was fully
atoned for by the solemnity of this fleet
i'll mourning. Over the still waters
between the roll Of the 6-pounders.
came strains of Chopin apd Beethoven's :
| funeral marches. The crews, accus
toned to cheer with the heartiness
which belongs only to "jackies, stood
silently along the decks, and the flags,
which usually float defantly Ill the
breeze, were dropped half way down the
| halyards.
Grand Naval Display.
The most powerful fleet England could
gather on short notice lay inert and si-
lent before the strains of the bands and
the woeful sounds of the gun that be.
tokened neither peace nor war, but
death.
Past these and past the Hohenzollern
the huge though cumbersome Camper
down, the Rodney and the Benbow, on
through the line of British battleships
all as powerful on paper as the Oregon
or Kentucky, on till Japan Hatsuz, the
biggest warship in the world. was left
astern and the German Paden was
beam to beam with the Vice Admiral,
Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson' splen-
did flagship, the Majestic, of the chan
mel squadron, the naval funeral process
sion slowly steamed.
Steaming leisurely after them was the
royal yacht Alberta. Half screened by
the awning on the poop, the royal coffin
lay on a crimson dias, the curtains
of which were drawn back and tied TO
four poles, leaving free to view the mag
nitcent casket and robes. Sometimes
abeam, sometimes ahead, was the Trim
1ty house yacht Irene, watching the
course, while in the wake Of the coffin
came the royal yachts Victoria and Al
bert, with King Edward and Queen
Alexandra and the English royal family;
the royal yacht Osborne, with other
royal persOnages; the imperial yacht
Hohenzollern, with Emperor William,
the Duke and Duchess of Connaught
and others; the admiralty yacht En-
chantress, and a Trinity house yacht
with officials on board.
The Great Fleet.
The main squadron of battleships and
cruisers were moored two and a half ca
bles apart, in one line, extending from
Cowes to Spithead. The channel feet,
under the command Of Vice Admiral
Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson formed
the eastern portion, and the reserve fleet,
under Rear Admiral Sir Gerard Henry
Noel, formed the western procession.
The foreign war>vessels were moored
southwest of the British ships, in the
order of their arrival, and alongside of
them were moored eight British gun
boats-the Antelope, Cleaner, Sl1ipjacB,
Leda, Rattlesnake, Alert, Circe and
Speedwell
After leaving Trinity pier, the AL
berta, with her attendant escort, steamed
along the deep channel between the
coast of the Isle of Wight and the single
line of battleships and cruisers. The
main line was as follows, beginning at
Cowes: The Alexandra, Camperdown,
Rodney, Benbow, Oollingwood, Colos-
sus, Sans Pareil, Nile, Howe, Melampus,
Severn, Galatea, Belona, Poctolus, Pc
lorus, Diana, Conqueror, Arrogant. Mi
nerva, Niobe, Hero. Hood, Trafalgar,
Resolution, Jupiter, Hannibal, Mars,
Prince George and Majestic
Minute Guns Fired.
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 minute
guns and continuing firing until the
Alberta was almost alongside the wharf.
No stands were displayed and ensigns
and union jacks were at half mast. The
bands played the funeral marches of
Chopin and Beethoven only. No ma.
tional anthem was played.
On the approach of the procession the
ships yards were man1ed and the
guards and bands were paraded. The
officers were in full dress, and the men
wore their number l rig' and straw
hats The guards presented arms as
the Alberta passed each ship and then
restsd on their arms reversed until the
rrocaSsiOn had naSSed
A detachment of marines and the ad-
miral's band were on board Nelson's
old flagship, the Victory, III Portsmouth
harbor.
All the sea front and dockyards were
manned by marines and sailors, while
Barrow island was manned by boys
from the training ship St. Vincent and
men from the gunnery ship Excellent.
When the Majestic was left astern,
the Alberta was moored for the night.
Tomorrow the body will be taken ashore
ct Portsmouth and then conveyed To
Ne w