Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-02

and the German flagship We're the last
of the fleet to salute the cortege.
The Alberta entered the harbor nj
40 r. NJ. and moored alongside the
landing place. The royal yachts Vic
toria and Alberta and the Osborne
wore secured to buoys in the harbor
while the imperial yacht HohenzolIern
was berthed by the side of the dock
yard jetty.
Three special trains brought down
the members of the House of Lords and
House of Commons, the diplomats an /
other officials and the correspondents
from Victoria station to Portsmouth
early this morning.
The members of Parliament and cor
respondents representing every nation.
embarked on a small steamer and were
entertained at luncheon as guests of
the admiralty. \ Gauze of fog was set
tied over the still waters Of the Solent.
through which the warships appeared
like great ShapclesS black rocks. The
fleet stretched from Portsmouth to
CoWcs. the turretS Of Osborne standing
above the purple hills. Abreast We're
the battlcships Renbow and Colling-
wood. These emblems of Britain's i'm
perial power We're the policemen
guarding the avenue. 10 miles long
through which the Queens body was
To pass to the mainland Of the King
dom.
There were 70 British battlcships. II
cruisers and eight Sunboats, not even
the full strength of the channel squad
ron. Eight naval ambassadors Of
friendly powers were ranged along
the Portsmouth end, while gunhOats
and steamers with official spectators
formed the remainder of the southern
line. The British ships We're an impos-
ing sight with their uniform decora-
tons, coal black hulls. with line Of
red just above the water, white upper
work and yellow smokestacks. All dis
played the Jack at the foremost ana
the white ensign at half mast at their
sterns.
The foreign ships attracted most of
the attention Of the English spectators.
The giant of the whole fleet was the
Japanese battleship Hatsuz. the iarg
est war machine afloat. a fortress of
clay colored steel. with the scarlet sun
CT white field hanging at stern, the
fighting emblem of TIE youngest world
power.
Emperor Williams navy was repre-
scented by Nymphc. Victoria Luisc,
Hagen and Baden, all blue-cray col
ored upper works. The Hagen was
flying Prince Henry Of Prussias flag.
yellow arms on a white field.
The Dupuy de LONE. under Frarce's
tri-color. was q fine sight. She is built
with prov fronted long ram. high
out of the water.
Portugal was represented by the
cruiser Don Carlos The i'll fortune of
SrainS navy asserted itself at the last
moment. for word came that the iIm-
perador Carlos Y had turned back
With crippled engines.
The Carlos V managed to effect re-
pairs and resume the journey to
Portsmouth. taking up her position in
the line just before the coffin was en-
barked at CoWes.
The pathway between the warships
was a quarter of mile wide avenue
of clear water. Behind the lines of war
ships lowered a few yachts and chan
mel steamers. Black torpedo boats and
destroyers We're skirmishing about and
officers gigs and launches swarmed
swarmcd everywhere Bugle calls came
over the waters and gaudy signal flags
burst out and disappeared. The British
ships We're also lighted with CLEANS of
the scarlet coats of marines. The black
muZzles of the huge guns prOtruding
from their ports looked very imposing
Queens weather came at noon in a
/ burst of sunshine and the clouds clear
ed away from the channel, fingered
above the tree tops along the crest of
hills on either side. and the police
| boats uShered the merchant shipping
and crowded excursion craft back to
their anchorage. under the shelter Of
the shore.
i Thorough the whole length of the
| channel there was only long double
! file of warships with black messenger
| boats daShing among them. For nearly
three hours the fleet watched for the
! coming Of the funeral. The officers on
| the bridges. in the most gorgeous uni
! forms. with all the decorations and
medals. scanned the CoWes shore docks
| through their glasses. An occasional
! brilliant burst of sunshine showed tens
o. thousand of Spectators. subjects of
! the dead Queen. assembled to witness
hei' last passage from CoWes to Ports
| mouth.
! shortly before . o'clock white smoke
! broke from the Majestic's side ana n
second later a report ere CEcd Cor tha