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trast which the sailing-vessels presented to their steamrivals . The deeper we get committed to the mechanical influences gathering around us , the more do we seem to regret those splendours of the past which we can no longer retain . This was a universal feeling on Thursday as Admiral Fanshawe ' s squadron reared the fleet . The shrill whistle of the boatswain resounded through the enemy ' s ships ; every man was at his post , and over the silence which now reigned among the thousands of spectators , and the throng of vessels , was heard the murmuring of some commanding voice in the enemy ' s ships . The ports of the Queen opened , a lurid glare flashed a moment from her broadside ,
white curling smoke followed , and then the report of one of her largest guns appeared to shake the very fleet to its centre . The report had not died away when the Agamemnon took up the awful thunder , and every vessel of ¦ the port division added the roar of its guns to the deafening cannonade . The rattling thunder ran along the line , traversing it , as it were , in a minute , and again beginning at the other end , main and deck gunseighteens , and thirty-twos , and sixty-fours—banging and thundering for nearly a quarter of an hour without intermission . The deep bass of the 68 and 84-pounders , chiming in at intervals with the sharper roar of the lighter guns , could be readily distinguished , and the observer could even note how these tremendous
engines of destruction hurled forth a more projected and larger mass of flame and smoke into the wind ' s eye . Now the breeze for an instant" aside the shroud of battle cast / ' and again the sun for a moment illuminated it , as though it had been a morning ' s mist . It was a most impressive sight to see , phantomlike , through the haze , the figures of the crews of the nearest guns , lugging and struggling at their work , tearing at the tackles , ramming in the sponges , hoisting the mass with levers ¦—all this lasting but for a moment , and then the shivering bang , which seemed to cleave the very ship .
But these bangs came thick and three-fold , from bow to stern on both decks , and on bow and stern from fourteen other vessels of three and two decks , and heavy frigates . Along the whole line of battle , nearly three miles long ,-the cannonading was kept up for many minutes with a fury which it is quite impossible to convey any idea of in words . The expedition and facility with which the crews worked their guns in the midst of all this terrible hubbub was a subject of nearer and hardly less interesting observation than the general effect of the battle .
The enemy had replied vigorously at the outset to the fire of the fleet , and this was sustained for some time ; but at last the Prince Regent , the Queen , and London began to slacken their fire . During the fight they had kept up the firing with great spirit . The broadside of the Prince Regent was tremendous—for regularity and rapidity she could not be excelled . She was followed by her consorts with an effective fire ; but all the roar of their guns was drowned in the . crashing cannonade of the Duke , the Agamemnon , and the screw
fleet , which vomited forth the fire of their batteries with uninterrupted energy for nearly a quarter of an hour , when the firing ceased and the enemy , maimed and wounded , and crippled , was understood to be defeated . The Amphiou and the Admiral imitated the effects of an action most admirably by letting sheets and tacks fly , hauling their yards out of trim , and letting down the yards on the caps , the former particularly contributing to this picturesque effect with remarkable skill .
THE KETUEN IIOME . The enemy being thus repulsed , it became necessary to chase , not him , but some imaginary enemy lurking in Spithcad ; so the heads of the vessels wcro put round , and the whole squadron started oil" homewards at the best of each ship's speed . Wind and tide favoured them , and the race home was about the merriest proceeding of the day . The fleet had been fairly out of Bight of land ; but presently the high ground at the back of the Isle of Wight began to appear like a blue line in the horizon to the left ; and then , in brief time afterwards , the low lino of the Hampshire coast , stretching to tho right . Hereabouts the ships fell in with tho now returning ileet of yachts and
steamers , and it wns all one race against one another . To yachtmen a lending- attraction in this part of tho roview was furnished by tho performances of two beautiful foreign vessels sent over to tho Hyde Regatta —one an American , tho othor a Swede , and both remarkivbly Hwift . These kept up with the squadron tho whole day , and accompanied it on its return td Spifchend . -This return was made in the order which each whip could maintain by her nailing powers , tho Duke of Wellington and tho Agamemnon , however , easily leading . It wan a lino irregular race back to tho startingpoint of tho morning , the stalwart niul martial-looking wnr vessels shouldering their way by Hcrow power through cloudo of yachts and stcamors . Far behind ,
under a press of canvas , came the gigantic sail-of-the line—distance and the declining sunlight giving some what of a spectral character to their movements .
THE GUN-BOAT BATTLE . At lialf-past six o ' clock the Admiral made signal for the boats of the squadron to attack an enemy to leeward . ( The hostile force was represented by the Magicienne and the Vulture , steamers , which took up a position within a mile of the Sduthsea beach . ) The rapidity with which the huge launches were cleared away , raised over the side , and lowered into the water , must have surprised those who had not before witnessed the admirable perfection to which the boat service of our navy has been brought . In a few minutes each vessel had its launch floating by its side , a carronade
( a short , serviceable gun , of heavy metal ) on its slide in the bow , arid then poured into her its stream of seamen , marines , and marine artillery . With 24 oars , double-banked , the marines seated aft , the officer in command standing bolt-up in the stern sheets , with the yoke lines in his hand , and the jack floating from the tall flag-staff in the stern , each boat was a beautiful object in itself , and formed an engine of war , so to speak , by no means despicable , having all the appliances of attack , defence , and retreat concentrated in a very short compass . A few minutes more , and the words " Give way" sent from the sides of the squadron a
flotilla of enormous force and power . The boats might be seen advancing with great velocity from the line of ships , swept along by the long , powerful pull of the stalwart oarsmen , and converging as they advanced in two divisions—one for each of the devoted enemy . In an instant more the line of boats vomited forth a flood of fire and smoke . The carronades of the launches , served with great quickness , sounded a rolling bass of thunder to the smart sharp rattle of the musketry ; and the irregular nature of the firing , at one time bursting
into a simultaneous roar as the metal of boats and ships spoke in awful unison together , and now subsiding into the discharge of a single gun , diversified the tumult of the uproar . Still more launches kept coming from the fleet , and opened fire as they formed their divisions , the marines all loading and firing as if for life , and-the sailors pulling with the regularity of machinery , till a loud ringing cheer—such a joyous burst of exultation that one might imagine the gallant fellows had won a new Trafalgar—proclaimed their victory over the enemy , and the firing was over .
THE ENDING . As the wind slowly rolled the clouds to leeward of the flotilla , bringing into view boat after boat and the hulls of the steamers , the coup d'oeil was one which no language can convey , for it was instinct with motion ^ teeming with energetic life . The boats were returning to their respective ships , from which the signal of recall had been hoisted , or with oars aloft were lying-to off the late " enemy ; " on the white beach at Southsea , as far as the eye could reach , thousands of people were gathered in full enjoyment of the spectacle j every height—every hillock—tho fortifications , the tops of houses—any and
every place , in fact , from which a view of Spithead could be had , were black with a swarm of human beings . On the other side , with tho aid of a glass , it could be perceived that the whole population had poured down to the shores of tho Isle of Wight , and tho pier at Rydo and tho hills towards tho seaside were covered with men , women , and children . Tho well-known form of their Sovereign wns seen on the deck of her floating palace ; and gentlemanly yachts vailed their topsails as they came near , and ungentlemanly ones stood too closo in and became objects of universal abhorrence , for tho time being , to many
thousands of people . Far away to tho enBt a thick black background of coal smoke , left behind by the steamers , rested on tho horizon , and brought out in fine relief tho snowy canvas of tho hundreds of yachts which were stealing up to their moorings . Tho slower steamers and men-of-war , with company on board , enmo hustling through them , each with a long dark trail in the air behind it , nnd , in tho centre of tho picture , Admiral Fanshawe ' s squadron , with every stitch of canvas that could bo net , except studding sails , bore down majestically in lino between the port and starboard divisions of its lato UKHiiilunts . Thus ended this Great Exhibition of tho nation's fleet .
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THE CAMP . Saturday wan memorable for a disgraceful failure . It wn « intended to blow up a redoubt by inonriB of gunpowder , firwl through nn electric wiro , but the feat could not bo done , and the old-fnBhioned port fires had to bo used . Tho Queen witnessed tho failure . Tho railway arrangements on tho name day wore very defective ; passengers from London were harassed and delayed . On Mondny , tho army " changed kings , " and fought
were y employed , upon no was there a more brilliant field day , or one upon which the movements of the day were more equally distributed over the whole division . The enemy , consisting of the usual forces under Colonel Vicars , occupied a concealed position near Burrows-hill , the superior force occupy ing Flutters-hill aud the ground in its neighbourhood . After some most lively manoeuvres the troops returned to the camp , having been under arms more than five
also full and occasion their battles over again with fresh success . The Bute of Cambridge was entrusted with the command of the whole division , for the purpose of a grand field day The fact of the Duke being a most able and active cavalry officer naturally led to the opinion that the movements of that branch of the service would constitute the great feature pf the day . While , however , the brigade of cavalry was kept weil upto its work , the infantry and artillerv
hours . A novelty in the proceedings of Wednesday consisted in the enemy being supplied with two pieces of artillery , which worked with the small force during the day , and gave additional effect to the proceedings . The camp forces were formed with their right resting on the open space opposite Higham Lodge , the present residence of Lord Seaton ; the enemy occupied some heights in the immediate vicinity , having the camp in his rear . The whole of the forces were actively cmployed in driving the enemy from his position ; and having compelled him to seek shelter in the redoubt partially blown up on Saturday last , at length drove him from it by the advances of tbe infantry . The Duchess of Kent and the Duchess of Cambridge were
present . It is stated that the camp will break up after the last field-day , which will take place on Thursday next . The two following days , the 19 th and 20 th , will be occupied by the removal of the troops .
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OUR OWN EASTERN QUESTIONS . Fkom the far East we have news of moment , briefly told by the telegraph . The King of Ava has become more submissive ; he has issued orders that the British troops are not to be molested ; that Meandel and Tounghou are to remain in our possession , and has released all the prisoners , but will not yet sign a treaty . ( This news is dated the 22 nd of June , fifty days ago . ) There has been a sad and great shipwreck in the Indian seas . The Arab ship Faze Kareem , on her passage from Aden to Bombay , with the Bombay portion of the India mail which left London on the 24 th June , foundered at sea twenty miles from Aden . The mails , consisting of sixty-eight boxes , were lost , and 179 out of 190 Arabs and Lascars who were on board , and Mr . Nankins , in
charge of the mails , perished . From Australia , more gold and much distress make up the intelligence . The Legislative Council of New South Wales has appointed a committee often to prepare * he new constitution . Tho produce of the Victoria gold fields is increasing . There in great destitution among the newly arrived emigrants at Melbourne . Rents are at extravagantly high prices . The American steamer Monumental City was wrecked on her passage jlrom Port Philip to Sydney ; thirty-five persons perished . Price of gold at Sydney had risen to 31 . 16 s . per ounce .
The China quarrel may be one of our own questions in a short time . The latest news was , that tho Imperialist army in China was preparing to retake Amoy , but without much chance of success . Tho rebel army wa » within four days' march from Nankin . Canton !>»» not yet been attacked .
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LETTERS FROM PARIS . [ From our own Correspondent . ] Letter LXXXV . Paris , Thursday Evening , August 11 , 1853 . The whole interest of this week has centered in the announcement of last Sunday ' s Moniteur , that the-Czar had accepted tho note of tho Four Powers . A lightning stroke falling suddenly in tho midst of a vasfc assembly could scarcely have created a surprise more startling than thin . No one looked for such a
denouement . After all tho preparations and the aggressive acts and demonstrations of tho Czar , tho mere sequence of facts meant wnr , anJ in Franco wo had begun to make vip our minds to that event . Tho Bourse itself ) , yielding to tho general movoment . hnd declared steadily for a fall . Sunday last upset all these calculations in « moment , and on Monday tho Threo-por-Conts jumped up three , ! francs and a half in no thno . Nevertheless ; there was no acarcity of unbelievers . A greater number than might htwo been supposed refused , and BtilU rofuso , to attach belief to tho words of tho Moniteur ^ They pretend that on tho 5 th insfc . tho Emperor bt Russia had not received tho propositions emanating : from tho Conference of Vienna . It in in fact understood that tho Czar only knows , or , rathor , only then knowv of tho first of these propositions , which was despatched
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774 THE LEADER . [ Saturbay ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 13, 1853, page 774, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1999/page/6/
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