The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-17

nominally effective fighters are still
armed with muzzle leaders 1t must be
pointed out, however, that the display
represented merely the home feet, not
a. single vessel having been withdrawn
from a foreign station to participate in
the pageant.
81 The day opened fine. There was an
Immense influx of visitors. The waters
of The Solent were covered with pleas
:llre craft of every variety from the
tiny canoe to the big excursion steam
er, and every vantage point on shore
was covered with spectators. At s a.
m. In response to signal, the fleet
broke out flags, and in the space of a
minute the lines of black hulls were
transformed into parti-colored lanes OF
f1uttering bunting. simultaneously the
pennant of Admiral Sir Charles Hoth-
am, the mander- in chief at Ports
mouth, was flung out from the peak
of the Royal Sovereign, which today
acted as flagship of the fleet. Five
other admiraIs' flags were also in view
In different sections of the parade. The
five lines in which the fleet was moor
ed were located midway between the
Isle of Wight and the mainland. Near
est 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
Asaschio.
The next line was made up of thirty
two British torpedo boat destroyers.
Then there was line of cruisers and
gunboatS, then a double line of battle
ships and finally another line of cruis-
erS. Another parallel line, nearest to
the Isle of Wight, was made UP of for
eign men-of-War, including two Jap
anese cruisers, the Asama and Taxa
sage; the Italian armored cruiser Carlo
Alberto, and the Portuguese cruiser
Dom Carlos /. The precaution had been
taken to compel all the vessels present
to burn smokeleSS coal, but as the day
advanced haze spread over the water,
and small craft frequently disappeared
in banks of mist.
At 1890 D. m the lines Of the feet
! closed, the guard boats drove all I'M
authorized craft out of the forbidden
area, and promptly at 2 o'clock the
royal yacht Victoria and Albert. with
King Edward, Queen Alexandra and
other royal personages on board, slow
| ly got under weigh. This movement
was signaled by gunboat from the
! Royal Sovereign, and thousands of
+ jaclxies swarmed over the decks, super
structures and fighting tops and man
ned ship in honor of their approaching
majesties. Then came the firing of the
royal salute of twenty-one guns.
| Amid the crash of naval ordnance
the kings yacht moved slowly east
| ward, accompanied by the royal yachts
! Osborne and Alberta and three others,
and escorted by~a f1otilla of torpedo
boat destroyers. The king, who wore
the uniform of an admiral of the fleet,
was surrounded by a brilliant staff.
AS his majesty passed each ship the
| officers and men cheered, and when the
| Victoria and Albert, after traversfng
| the hn6i, took up fresh moortngs
abreast of the Royal Sovereign, the
whole fleet Joined in final roar Of
/ cheers for the king, who then per-
sonally signaled an invitation to all the
| flag officers, including those of the
| foreign ships, to join him on the royal
yacht.
The king will again inspect the fleet
| Monday, when all the ships will steam
past the royal yacht. After what one
| writer calls this display showing the
| progress of naval construction during
| the Victorian era, from the time of the
early wooden vessels" the fleet will
dispense.
Thousands of persons who we're ex-
pectantly awaiting the illumination of
the<feet off Spithead tonight not only
were disappointed, but were drenched
| and bedraggled by a sudden and vio-
lent thunderstorm.
The storm continued for an hour.
| After that the night was fair and the
| illumination was carried out, and was
| witnessed by thousands, who reappear-
| ed upon the shore. A rocket was sent
| up from the royal yacht and a moment
| later the dim outline of a yacht burst
! out in thousands of incandescent
lights This was the signal for the
| hundreds of other ships, and as if by
| magic the entire fleet was illuminated
in great blaze of light. The sudden
| change from duSky shadows of battle
| ships to one of electric brilliancy had
| a startling effect on the crowds, and
| they made manifest their delight by
rounds of cheers.
The lines of the tunnels, masts and
| upper decks of the ship were outlined
| in mellow, glowing lines, and the flag
/ ships by clear, pale light, mast high.
| The brilliant lights of the merchant
| ships and pleasure craft added to the
/ splendor of the maritime fete. Stimuli
| taneously hundreds of public and pri-
/ vate buildings ashore were Illuminated,
while an imposing display of fireworks,
varied in color and form, gave fresh
! interest to the carnival. After an
! hours display the incandescent bulbs
| on the ships were extfnguished and
| were succeeded by a gorgeous display
of colored searchlights, trained uni
| formly in various directions and end
ing with rainbow effects, which were
| heightened by the clouds of steam ex-
| hausted from the tunnels of the yes
| sells.
The searchlights were still cleaning
when the royal salute was fired at
midnight. Then all were extinguished,
| save that on the royal yacht, which
| remained glittering.