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nf an inch of sail was visible on her . One hundred A thirty-one guns , eleven hundred men , seven hnndred and eighty horse-power , and three thousand i ven hundred and fifty tons—such are the statistics of the Duke of Wellington . Two cables from her lay the noble Agamemnon , with her ninety guns , and beyond these the other vessels . The lines looked most imposingly , and the idea of resistless power was strongly impressed by the array . QT 7 EEN VTCTOBIA .
The Royal"Mistress of this noble armament soon came down , to marshal it in " battle ' s magnificently stern array ! " Exactly at eleven o ' clock a gay yellow steamer was seen glistening in the distance , This was the Queen ' s own yacht . As she passed along from Cowes to Spithead , the dense masses of people who darkened every eminence on the beach , and swarmed on the plat form and ramparts , cheered again and again , until the sound , echoed from point to point along the Solent , rose like distant thunder . Then , as it rapidly glided
up to the fleet , sparks shot from the side of every vessel , followed by huge puffs of the whitest smoke , and the next moment the dead dull roar of the guns boomed over the waters , and crackled through the echoes around . The roar so like to the mighty voice of the heavens in their anger , the quick arrows of fire running along the batteries and piercing through the sheet of smoke , and the graceful whirls of the wreath of aerified gunpowder—this splendid royal salute , given from twenty powerful men-of-war , was startlingly grand . In its terrific force and vehemence it appealed to nearly
every sense , and woke that dread instinct of war which must be inherent in man . Long before the royal salute was over each vessel was shrouded in its own particular cloud of smoke , and the effect was singular , as here a mast and there a stern showed out from the enveloping shroud , and then again was lost . But the wind dissipated the artificial mist , arid the scene stood out in its striking grandeur . Nearly every yacht club was present irt every form , from the clipper schooner of 200 tons down to the Thames cutter of 10 , clothed in their
snow-white canvas , big jibs and gaff-topsails set , arid , flitting over the water in every direction , they formed the most beautiful coup d ' ceil that could be conceived , stretching away for miles , tacking to and fro , running out of every creek along the isle , and firing their tiny armament with wonderful zeal and tolerable regularity . The dusky forms of numerous steamers , struggling under the enormous loads of living creatures who swarmed from stem to stern , on paddlebox , deck ,
rigging , yards , contrasted with the livelier hues of the sailing vessels and relieved their monotony . The animation of the picture was further enhanced by a sea as green as grass , upon which an August sun shone and sparkled . Nothing could be brighter or more festive , and the huge mass of the Wellington stdod out in its black majesty of reposing power , a fine mountainous contrast to the slight craft that tossed and scurried about it . The Fairy now ranged up with the Russian Archduchesses and several officers in
uniform on board . The Stromboli , rolling about beneath the weight of the House of Peers , lay still further astern of the Royal Yacht , and Lord Palmerston might be Been chatting with one of the sailors just as ho would speak to a diplomate or an Islington deputationist . The Black Eagle , with the " foul anchor" of the Admiralty fl ying at the main , was close at hand , and a crowd of yachts and steamers were at greater distances to leeward . At half-past eleven the Prince of Prussia , the Crown Princess of Wurtembcrg , and the Duchess of Leuehtenberg , proceeded in a barge from the Fairy to the Royal Yacht , where they were received by Her
Majesty . The boats of the Victoria and Albert were then lowered , and Her Majesty , the- Prince , and the forei gn visitors , proceeded on board tho Duke of Wellington , followed by a brilliant staff . Tho Queen then appeared at tho stern galley with her guests , tho Duke of Cambridge and Sir T . Cochrano , tho Admiral of tho port and of tho day , and remained for nearly ton minutes , gazing with tho greatest interest on tho wonderful scene which lay before her . Never did monarch look upon a grander or inoro inspiriting wight than that upon which the gaze of her Majesty now fell . Before her was the vast expanse of ocean dotted over , far aa
the oyo could reach , with every conceivable description of craft . Tho Royal Yacht Squadron from Cowes was there , with its schooners and cutters of varied rig and Bizo ; tho'Royal Thames Yacht Club was represented by Hmne of its fastest yachts ; each Packet Company had its representative there , and conspicuous among them all were tho fast-sailing , smart-built packets of tho oouth-Eaatern Company ; while near and around her Majesty were those columns of first-rates and frigates which might safely bid defiance to tho world . Hor Majesty surveyed tho scono with intense interest , and , standing in tho galleries , received tho homage of thousand of hor subjects , aa thoy Lailod hor mistress of tho
waves—the crews and passengers of all the vessels loudly cheering as they passed the stern of the mighty Wellington . They were followed shortly after by several other steam-vessels , the loud cheering of the visitors upon which was acknowledged by smiles from her Majesty . The ladies will be interested in the fact that her Majesty wore a pink dress and blue bonnet , in which - costume ' she looked remarkably well and happy . Prince Albert wore military uniform , and some foreign uniforms were also distinguishable on the deck of the Wellington .
GOING OUT TO SEA . After the Queen had returned to her yacht , the movements of the day commenced . The signal was given to weigh , and as the vessels had been " hove short" since eight o ' clock , and had only one anchor down , they were all off in a few minutes , in two columns , the Agamemnon leading the " port" division , andtheDukeofWellingtonheadingthestarboardcolumn . It is impossible to convey any suitable idea of the effect which this stately procession presented . A procession it was as ceremonious and precise as any could desire to see , the number of huge ships at stated intervals , and
the broad avenue of clear water between the two divisions , still pressing on the mind the marvels of that mechanical agency by which such order and power are combined in one display on " the inconstant deep . " The ships kept in splendid line on their way out to sea , showing proudly their long rows of portholes , and by their stern , uncanvassed rig , to which the smoke of their chimneys added an additional feature of sullen pomp , holding every intruding craft at a respectful distance . To soften the grandeur of the spectacle by a , feature which might appeal to the gentler sympathies of all , the Queen , in her Royal yacht , led tho squadron to sea . Occupying a central position between " the Duke" on the starboard , and the Agamemnon on the port side , but slightly in advance of both , her
Majesty and the Royal family , with their illustrious visitors , had an uninterrupted and perfect view of the marine pageant . They saw not only an unrivalled fleet , the fully-developed expression Jof . our maritime power , but an amazing number of attendant yachts and steamers , with which tho sea swarmed as far as the eye could reach . In no other country of the world , and at no previous period even in this , could such a spectacle have been got together . Thousands upon thousands of spectators from Culver Cliff , and the other high grounds of the Isle of Wight in that direction , watched the great pageant as it moved out into the Channel . Such a procession , so effective and so thoroughly English , could only be witnessed on our shores . The Englishman ' s love of the sea , and of all that enables him to subdue it , must have been thoroughly
demonstrated to the foreigners during that sea march . As a long , broad stream of vessels of every description , amid which the mightier forms of the war-ships showed proudly and nobly , swept along in the train of the Sovereign , one was somewhat reminded of the victorious Greek armament returning to its city with the spoils of fight . The beautiful coast of the island , along which the naval procession passed , was a picturesque accessory , and here again tho exquisite colour of the water , except where the hurrying prows lashed it into streaks of foam , could not but bo noted . Sky and sea alike smiled upon Queen Victoria and her fleet .
THE NOVEL CHABACTER OF THE FLEET . There was tho great Duke , moving , " liko Argo , self-impelled , " and going easy a-head ; and all that mighty mass moved along the water by an invisible agency . No paddles churned tho sea into foam , no acres of canvass courted the wind . A screw fan , hidden in tho abyss of her hold , propelled tho Leviathan , in whoso nostrils what foo shall ever fasten a hook ? " Sailing" will , wo apprehend , soon become a . term of disuso in tho Royal navy , for " steam" is gradually undermining tho use of nails , and causing a mighty revolution in naval aa well as in othor matters . What were tho feelings of some of those older admirals in tho
British service , who have yet some dim recollections of a Nelson crowding Bail and bearing down in line of battle on his fooa , as they saw tho fleet yesterday gontly steaming eight or ton knots an hour , without a shoot of canvass ! Thero was something absolutely aweinHpiring in tho appearance of tho great screw stoamships as tl » oy glided noiselessly nlong , without tho slightest visible moans of propulsion . In tho Wellington an < l Agamemnon tho funnel * aro hardly perceptible , and as in Thursday ' s muncouvres thoy emitted no smoke , and unfurled no sails , tho vchsoIh appeared to glide along moved by some mngic agency , producing by their peculiar motion a strange and startling effect on tho boholdor .
Tho change from tho paddlo to tho screw and tho efficiency of tho now mako aro very remarkable . Knock away tho paddles or tho shaft of a steamer of tho old school , and you had n vory dangerous log on tho
water , which might scald you to death , and which was deprived of half her broadside by the space taken up by her paddleboxes . Fire a shot into her , and the chances were she became a vast mortar filled with steam and blew the crew out of her . But now we have a perfect man-of-war , with a propelling force working down deep in the water , and secured against most contingencies except that of breakage ,- with her engines below waferline , and , despite the prejudices of our old salts , there is reason to think that from and after this present time very few ships will be built indeed which are not provided with that potent auxiliary the screw . In these eight years a complete revolution has been effected in our navy and our system of tactics , and the most
striking evidence of the superior merit of the new order of things was to be found in the proceedings of Thursday , and , above all , in the rapidity with which it has been produced . On the occasion of the Queen ' s visit to Spithead in 1845 , the squadron consisted of the St . Vincent , Trafalgar , Queen , Rodney , Albion , Canopus , Vanguard , Superb , and Rattler . Of these , one—just one- —( the Rattler ) was a screw steamer ! Thursday we saw a fleet of twenty men-of-war , thirteen screw steamers , and these by far the most efficient ships in the whole squadron ; and , as if to admit the fact of their superiority in a tacit sort of way , the vessels of the squadron which was intended to be beaten were composed altogether of sailing vessels and paddlewheel steamers .
MEETING THE ENEMY . The fleet steamed out in column till it had reached the Nab Light , the leading sbips- ^ -the Agamemnon and the Duke of Wellington—still continuing abreast of each other . After passing the Nab , the columns steered a compass course , and having arrived in open water , orders were given to form the line abreast . This operation is similar to the military movement of a column deploying into line on the leading company or squadron . The vessels on the starboard formed inline on the Duke of Wellington at right angles with its column , while those of the port or lee division formed
in like manner on the Agamemnon . In order to effect this movement the leading ships steamed very slowly / those astern increasing their speed in the proportion of their greater distance-from the leading ships . Some idea of their appearance in this position may bo formed from the fact , that the line extended about three miles from end to end . Fancy , thei'efore , looking along or fronting it . Soon a signal was given to alter course , and the starboard , and port divisions lying abreast veered with their heads opposite each other , the leading ships closing at one cable distance—the two admirals in the centre—the paddlewheel steamers on each flank ,
and the screws in the centre . At five minutes past two , the enemy tacked and stretched away towards the English coast . As the looming forms of three line-ofbattle ships gradually grew more distinct and formidable in tho offing , they added a fine effect . By this time the enemy—the Prince Regent , the Queen , the London , and the Amphion——had ranged themselves in line of battle to port of the port division , and to windward . The two leading ships hauled up their courses , but kept their topsails , topgallant sails , and royals . Tho London stripped to its three topsails and jib ,
and tho Amphion dropped behind with its topsails set , and topgallant sails dropping over them . Gradually the white sails of the first-rates and tho dark smoke of the steamers of tho enemy approached nearer to tho fleet . The approach of tho two fleets was ono of tho most beautiful sights of tho day , and the manoeuvres of tho squadron of Admiral Fanshuwe , being for tho most part executed under canvass , formed the most attractive portion of it , tho London being conspicuous for tho ease with which sho was handled , her superior sailing qualities ( sho spared tho others ' royals ) , and tho facility of her steering .
THE FIGHT . Tho enemy had been very conspicuous for some time befoi'o tho Royal yacht appeared to have found them out , but at length she signalled three strange sail in sight south-east , and thereupon tho Admiral makes signal , " All take course together to tho south-west . " Tho strange sail wore grandly whilo this order was obeyed , tho drums beat to quarters , tho hummocks wore taken down from their position on tho bulwarks , port-holos wcro thrown open , and the ships , now
turning their broadsides to tho enemy , formed in lino of battle , and signalled tho demand . No reply was made , though ono could by a telcHCopo very easily distinguish Admiral Fanrthnwo ' s Hag flying at tho mi / en of tho Princo Regent , which led tho way urnlor a cloud of canvasa . Sho was followed by tho Queen and London , also under a presa of Bail ; whilo tho Barracouta , Amphion , Vulture , and Driver steamers attended them n « thoy boro down . Tho Prineo Regont fired twice in approaching , as if to try tho range , but beyond thig thoro waa nothing to distract attention from tho con-
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Acflt ;^ Jg , 1853 Q THE LEADER . » 73
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 13, 1853, page 773, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1999/page/5/
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