Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-04
Free Advice Coupon.
GREAT NAVAL DISPLAY
highlands HOME FLEET RE-
VIEWED BY ROYALTY.

PORTSMOUTH, England, August 3.-The
greatest gathering of warshps in any age
was witnessed today, when the British
horsle fleet was reviewed by King Edward
and Queen Alexandra from the royal yacht
Victoria and Albert.
This great display, unprecedented under
the supreme command of one admiral, con-
stitutes the new home feet, and spread out
in seven long lines, with the softest and
richest scenery in all England on either
hand telling of the delights of peace 1t
formed more than twenty miles of frown-
ing might, and showed every type of naval
construction from the batleship to the sub
marine.
Every vessel was decorated with a rain
bow of bunting and manned by bluejack-
cts, whose cheers the king and queen
steamed through the lines resounded
through the wooded slopes of the Isle of
Wight and from the Hampshire shore to
the New Forest.
AS night drew her curtains down on this
display of British power there was
signal from the royal yacht. At 1t each
ship became outlined in brilliant electric
lights-a golden fleece of peace. Strikingly
magnificent was this picture, set off by the
mirror of the dark waters. Then the
searchlights of the warships played on the
clouds overhead and formed an iridescent
canopy that seemed to bar out everything
Day and night the weather was most
propitious.
Many Notable Spectators.
Spread out in seven long lines between
the Isle of Wight and the Hampshire shore
this splendid array Of vessels, great and
small formed a floating steel city with a
population of 80 900 officers and men. Never
before have so many British men-of-war
been seen together under the control of
single admiral. From the battleship Dread
nought down to the smallest submarine
every vessel was decked from stem to stern
with flags. The crews were assembled on
deck. and as the king and queen on board
the royal yacht Victoria and Albert passed
down the lines each ships company gave
rousing cheer. For eleven miles up and
down the king and queen steamed between
steel walls.
This gathering of warships forms the re-
Gently organized home guard section of the
British navy, and the government and the
admiralty proud Of the assemblage
that they departed from the usual rule
about visitors and threw the entire fleet
open to the critical inspection OF the public.
Dotted through the three central lines were
no less than six fagships. headed by the
Dreadnought, flying the pennant of the
commander-in-chief, Vice Admiral Francis
c. H. Bridgeman. The five other flag Off
GERS were Rear Admrals Harry S. F. Nib
lett Frank FinruA Robert A. ]. Montgom-
erie, George A. c. Callaghan and Spencer
H. NJ. Login.
The splendid naval program was COM
peted by scores of pleasure yachts clus-
tered off the ivy-colored walls of the Royal
Yacht squadron's castle at Cowes. King
Edwards famous old racing cutter Britain
mia, on which their majesties are to live
during the regatta. was moored near the
castle and in close proximity TO the yachts
upon which Mr.. and Mrs. Anthony Drexel,
Sir Thomas Upton and Herbert G. Squiers.
the American minister to Panama, are en-
PERTAINING large parties of guests.
Hosts of pleasure launches and excursion
steamers crowded with thousands of the
general public. each with its band of music
playing, helped to enliven an unusually at
tractive scene. The weather, which was
gloomy early in the morning, cleared up
before the departure of the king from
Portsmouth.