Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1902-08-20
BRITISH WAR SHIPS PARADE
VIEWED BY KING EDWARD.

First Time Since His AccessiOn-Pa-
rale Consisted of the Home Fleet
Only-ThOusands of Spectators
The Day Opened Fine, but Ended
With Heavy RainstOrm and Gale.
Portsmouth, Aug. 1S.-King Edward
completed the program of the coronation
festivities by reviewing the fleet for the
first time since his accession. From a
spectacular point of view the assembling
of a hundred cdd war vessels in the road
stead off Spithead was a magnificent
show, but to those looking beneath the
brilliant veneer of paint and polish It
was evident that the fighting strength of
the fleet was by no means formidable.
The line of ships was thickly dotted with
ineffectives. However, the display rep.
resented merely the home fleet. not
single vessel having been withdrawn
from foreign station to participate.
The day opened fine. There was an
immense influx of visitors. The waters Of
craft of every variety, from the tiny
canoe to the big excursion steamer. and
every vantage point on shore was COW
cred with spectators. At a. m, On re-
Spouse to a signal, the fleet broke out
flags, and in the space Of a minute the
lines of black hulls were transformed
into varicolored lines of fluttering bunt-
ing. simultaneously the pennant of Ad-
miral Sir Charles Hotham, commander in
chief at Portsmouth, was flung out from
the peak of the Royal Sovereign. which
acted as flagship of the fleet. Five
other admrals flags were also in view in
different sections of the parade. The five
lines in which the fleet was moored were
located midway between the Isle of
Wight and the mainland
Nearest to the Portsmouth shore were
the special service vessels and yachts
and a few distinguished visiting vessels,
headed by the conspicuous white hull of
the Japanese torpedo boat destroyer
Aschio. The next line was made UP of o.
British torpedo boat destroyers. Then
there was line of cruisers and gunboats,
then double line of battleships and final
ly another line of cruisers. Another par
allel line nearest to the Isle of Wight
was made up of foreign men of war. in
Guiding two Japanese cruisers, the Asaml
and Takahago; the italian armored
cruiser Carlo Alberto and the Portuguese
cruiser Carlos I. The precaution had
been taken to compel all the vessels pres
ent to burn smokeless coal. but as the
day advanced a haze spread over the
water and small craft frequently disap-
peared in banks of mist.
At 1890 p. m. the lines Of the fleet
closed, the gunboats drove all unauthor-
lied craft out of the forbidden area and
toria and Alberta, with King Edward,
Queen Alexandra and other royal person.
ages on board, slowly got under headway
This movement was signaled by gum
shot from the Royal Sovereign, and thou
sands of jackies swarmed over the decks.
superstructures and fighting tops and
manned ship in honor of their approach
ing majesties.
Then came the firing of the royal sa-
lutte. Amid the crash of naval ordnance
the kings yacht moved slowly, accompa-
MED by the royal yachts Osborne and AL
bert and three others, escorted by fleet
of torpedo boat destroyers. The king,
who wore the uniform of an admiral of
tho Heat uac Surrnundad hv q hrillioo
staff. AS his majesty passed each ship
the officers and men cheered, and when
the Victoria and Albert, after traversing
the lines, took up fresh mooring abreast
of the Royal Sovereign, the whole feet
Joined in a final roar of cheers for the
king, who then personally signaled the
invitation to all the flag officers. including
those of the foreign ships. to join him on
the royal yacht.
Thousands Of persons who were expec-
family awaiting the illumination Of the
feet at night not only were disappointed,
but were drenched by a thunder storm
and rainfall of almost phenomenal sud-
denness.
hall and In that vicinity, consisting of
balloons, were quickly ruined by rain and
wind which blew half a gale.
The storm blew for half an hour. After
that the night was fair and the illuml-
nation was carried out and witnessed oy
thousands who reappeared upon the
shore.