Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-07
GREAT NAVAL STATION
Plymouth Regarded as Practi-
caIIy ImpregnabIe::
TOWN FULL OF UNIFORMS
Devonshire Noted as the Home of
British Sailors.
SPANISH ARMADA RECALLED
Where Great Commanders Were Bowl
ing When News Came Of the Ap-
proach Of the Enemy.
SPANISH ARMADA RECALLED
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.


Record Herald.
PLYMOUTH, England, June H. 1906.
According to history Sir Francis Drake. Sir
Walter Raleigh, Sir John Hawkins, Martin
Frobisher, Sir Richard Granville, Sir Robert
Southwell, John Davis. Grover Fenner and
Lord Howard of Efhngham high admiral of
England, were playing at bowls on the
green outside the walls of the citadel OF
Plymouth on the morning of a summer day
in 1888 when Capt Fleming came rushing
up with the news that his crew had seen
the Spanish feet rounding the cape to the
south of the harbor The English fleet lay
waiting for the foe in Sutton's pool, where
the fishing boats are anchored tday. Capt.
Drake insisted upon playing out the game.
He declared that there was plenty of time
to finish it and thrash the Spaniards after
ward; and so it happened. A stately monu-
ment stands upon the spot where that ia
nous game was played. 1t lisa noble shaft
of granite supporting a figure of Britannia,
with a lion at her side. The panel On the
base bears a bronZ tablet representing the
destruction of the Spanish fleet in a gale,
with the inscription:
He blew with his winds and they were
scattered"
Nearby is a spirited bronze figure of Sir
Francis Drake in the costume of his time.
These monuments were erected to cee-
the last attempt Spain ever made to in
wade the tight little island of Britain.
1t would be difficult for any power to
capture Plymouth now, for the place is
practically impregnabi bic There are two
fortresses in the water at the entrance to
the harbor. One of them is in the center of
the breakwater that described in yester-
days letter, and the other occupies an Is
land named after Sir Francis Drake. Upon
the hills surrounding the harbor are no
less than thirteen mighty fortresses, while
the channel is thoroughly mined, and be-
hind a beautiful hill called Mount Edg-
cumbe usually lies fleet of sleeping dogs
of war that makes our navy seem insignif-
cant. They are all out in the channel now
for maneuvers. They are bling drilled IN
fleets and squadrons and this is the official
summary of the vessels that take part:
Battleships, 30; armored cruisers. 2S; un-
armored cruisers, a. submarines, %; de-
stroyers. ia; torpedo boats, 60.
All Kinds Of Men of War
Anchored along the waters of the lamar
all kinds of men-of-war, representing
every period in the growth of the British
navy from the old-fashioned ive-decker-
line-of- ba ttle-ships to the most recent sub
marines You can take ferry boat at the
quay at the foot of the. hill upon which the
hotel stands every fifteen minutes. and
run through them to the head of naviga-
ton on the river. That excursion will give
a stranger the best idea of the naval
strength OF the British nation it is possible
to obtain in single afternoon. 1t Will
give him an opportunity to see the obsolete
types as well as modern battleships, the
latest having been launched day before yes
terday. a cruiser Of twelve thousand tons.
Anchored at intervals along the stream
are school ships which receive between
fifteen hundred and two thousand recruits
every year for training. They are boys
from fourteen to eighteen years old, picked
up In the country as well as In the ports
! 80 ,r-I,i nh, E-tfi cI,
are made On shore, in a group of enor--
nous stone buildings, Is a similar school
for marines. with barracks capable of ac-
commodating six thousand men, The naval
barracks, at the upper end of the harbor,
splendid group of buildings, can accommo-
date three thousand bluejackets waiting
for assignments to ships. The military
garrison. taking all the forts together, is
about five thousand, for Plymouth is the
military as well as the naval headquarters
for western England. The general COM
handing and the admiral of the port live
within the same inclosure in fine old-fash-~
toned mansions, surrounded by beautiful
lawns and groves.
There are numerous hospitals and homes
for disabled soldiers and sailors, several
schools for the education Of officers and
midshipmen and the Royal Naval Engfn-
eering College, which, ! am told. Is the
only institution in the world for the ex-
engineers. 1t occupies a noble building of
stone with three hundred students. Ship
building is taught In all its phases.
Streets Filled With Uniforms
AS one might expect, the streets of Ply
mouth are filed with officers and men,
Every other person you meet is in uniform,
and as we looked down the main street on
Sunday afternoon both sides were fringed
with red-coats. The greater part of the
business prosperity of the town depends
upon the government and the garrison, and
everything is practically given up to the
sailors. You will remember the lines in
Peter Simpler"
The inn was the Blue Possesses.
Mhere the mdshpm ,s . left their r ehesteses'
And forgot to pay for their breakfasteses."
Devonshire has bred more sailors than
any county in England. The Plymouth
chamber of commerce is the oldest in the
kingdom and an Earl of Moreley has al
ways been its president, honor which
the present earl enjoys. His residence,
Saltarm House. contains unique collection
OF the works Of Sir Joshua Reynolds. who
was born in the suburban village of Plymp-
ton. Ye who have read Charles Kingsley's
Westward Ho, one of the best novels
that was ever written, remember that it's
heroes came from old Plymouth town. It
was here, in a low oak pannelled room. full
OF Spanish trophies, that Amyas Leigh told
the tragic story of the death of Sir
Humphrey Gilbert to his brother, and Mrs
Hawkins, mother of the illustrious sailor
that she could remember when Plymouth
was as quiet and God-fearing little town
as God could smile upon. but ever since my
boy and Sir Francis and poor Mr. Oxen
ham found out the way to the Indies. It's
been sad place"
The town has figured as a royal arsenal
in all the British wars: the harbor was the
last In Europe in which Napoleon Bona
parte stayed on board the ''Bellerophop
prior TO his departure to ST. Helena, and
another fallen emperor, Napoleon III land
ed here with the Prince Imperial In 1871 1
told you yesterday about the association
Of Plymouth with the settlement of the
United States. The old town bears q sim
liar relation to Australia. for Captain Cook
sailed from Plymouth In 176S in the ship
Endeayour to explore the south Pacific UNI
der the auspices of the Royal Society. He
sailed from here again on the second tx
petition In 1772. when England took pos
session of Australasia. In 1855 the gov
eminent, having no place for the banish-
ment of criminals since the loss of the
American colonies, shipped a party of 500
conyicts with 200 officials and other free
settlers in eleven ships to New South
Wales from Port Plymouth.
Three Towns In One.