The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-08-23
GREAT NAVAL PAGEANT,
fSins Edward Reviews the British
Fleet for First Time since
Hts Accession.

Portsmouth, Aug. 1S.-king EDWARD
completed the programme OF the
coronation festivities Saturday by re-
viewing the fleet for the first time
since his accession. From a spectac-
ular point of view the assemblage OF
hundred md odd war vessels in the
roadstead off Spithead was a magnifi-
cent show, but to those looking be-
meath the brilliant veneer of paint and
polish IL was evident that the fight
ing strength of the feet was by no
means formidable. The lines of ships
were thickly dotted with ineffectives.
Among these may be mentioned the
third-class cruiser Calliope, OF Apia
fame, while others included such relics
as the battleships Devastation, Dread
naught, Camperdown, and Edinburgh,
which are classed by some experts as
absolutely dangerous to the crews
while some of the nominally effective
, fighters are still armed with muzzie-
leaders. 1t must be pointed out, how
ever, that the display represented
merely the home feet, not single YES
sci having been withdrawn from q
foreign station to participate in the
pageant.
The day opened fine. There was an
| immense influx of visitors. The wa
ters of the Solent were covered with
pleasure craft of every variety, from
1.-THE tiny canoe to the big excursion
\ steamer, and every vantage point on
shore was covered with spectators.
At eight a. n, in response to signal,
the fleet broke out flags and in the
space of a minute the lines OF black
bulls were transformed into parti-
colored lines of fluttering bunting,
simultaneously the pennant OF Ad-
miral Sir Charles Hotham, the COM
mander in. chief at Portsmouth, was
flung out from the peak of the Royal
: Sovereign, which Saturday acted as
flagship of the fleet. Five other ad-
mirals' flags were also in view in diff
ferent sections of the parade. The
five lines in which the feet was moored
were located midway between the Isle
of Wight and the mainland.
At 1880 p. m. the lines of the
/ fleet closed, the guard boats drove
all unauthorized craft out of the
forbidden area and, promptly at two
o'clock the royal yacht Victoria and
, Albert with King Edward, Queen
Alexandra and other royal person
, ages on board, slowly got under
: weigh. This movement was signalet
/ by a grnshot from the royal Sover
: eign and thousands Of jackie:
: swarmed over the decks, superstruc
: lures and fighting-tops and manned
: ship in honor of their approaching
/. majesties. Then came the firing o.
. the royal salute of 21 guns. Amid
h the crash of naval ordnance thu
; kings yacht moved slowly eastward
r accompanied by the royal yachts Os
: borne and Alberta and three other
Y and escorted by fotilla of torpedo
r boat destroyers. The king, VIII
wore the uniform of an admiral o
e the feet, was surrounded by bril-
e liant staff. AS his majesty passe'
E each ship the officers and mel
r cheered and when the Victoria ant
e Albert after traversing the lines
: took up fresh moorings abreast o
n the royal sovereign the whole flee
5 Joined in a final roar of cheers TO
d the king, who then personally sig
: nailed an invitation to all the flag OF
( fcers, including those of the foreig
ships, to join him on the roya
Yacht