CHANNEL FLEET IN THE GALE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 178, 16 February 1860, Page 4

CHANNEL FLEET IN THE GALE.

[From an Eye-Witness.]

As the Channel Fleet experienced one of the heaviest gales that have visited our coasts for many years, a short description of this revolving storm, and of the well-being ar,d doings of the fleet may not be uninteresting, The ships that comprised the squadron, under Bear Admiral George Elliott, were the Hero, Cap tain Seymonr, bearing the Admiral’s flag; the Trafalgar, Captain Fanshawo • the Donegal, Captain Glanville ; the Algiers, Captain O’Calkghan; the Aboukir, Captain Schomberg; the Mersey, Captain Caldwell; the Emerald ; and the Melpomene, Captain Ewart. The ships remained in Queenstown a week. On Saturday the Admiral received his orders to proceed with the fleet to sea. The harbour was filled with shipping, a fresh north wind blowing. The signal was made about 9 a.m., Up propellers,” shortly followed by “ Weigh; outward and leewardmost ships first.” This was immediately obeyed ; the Algiers led out under all sail, followed closely by the Aboukir, Melpomene, Emerald, Mersey, Trafalgar, and Hero; the Donegal remained in port in consequence of the illness of her captain, The ships sailed out in beautiful style, threading t.heir way through a quantity of shipping. jVothing occurred at sea worthy of note until Monday morning. On that day the winds were light. The fleet was formed in line of battle, targets were laid out, and the whole forenoon was devoted to gunnery practice. The practice was extremely good, notwithstanding a good deal of rolling motion. On that afternoon several heavy, storms of bail and sleet came from the N.W., aud continued during the night with very variable winds. After quarters at sunset the topsails were double-reefed, and courses reefed for the night. ■Variable winds, still prevailed. Land was was seen about the Land's-end, and the Lizard Lights sighted about daylight, 6.30 a.m. The weather set in very dirty at S.E., with increasing wind and heavy rain. The third reefs were taken in the topsails about 9 a.m., and shortly after top-gallant yards sent on deck ; topgallant masts struck by signal; and also a signal, “ Admiral will endeavour to go to Plymouth,” “ Form two columns ; form the line-of-battle.” About 10 a.m., signal, “ Prepare to move with bowers ; bend sheet cable.” The wind increased to a fury, with torrents of rain towards 11 a.m., with very thick weather, the wind heading the ships off, so that it be came very doubtful if the sternmost ships could possibly get into the Sound, although it was' probable the Hero and the headmost ships could get in. Admiral Elliott then, with the spirit of a British admiral, decided at once (although he knew his exact position, having made the Eddj’stone Lighthouse) to wear the fleet together'aud stand off and face the gale. Although the leading ships were in good positions to wear, it was not so with those in rear of the line. The Aboukir had just passed the Eddystone ; the Trafalgar and Emerald were still in the rear, the Trafalgar having been detained to pick up a man who had fallen overboard from the jibbonm, which was executed with great skill. The Aboukir immediately wore, set her courses, aud dashed to windward of the lighthouse by carrying a press o' sail, and weathered it by half a mile, folio ved closely by the Mersey. The Algiers, Melpomene, aud Trafalgar passed it very closely to leeward, as the Hand Deeps were under their lee. Added to these difficulties there was a perfect fleet of trawlers, vessels

unmanageable while their trawl is towing, so that it required The greatest skill' to avoid running them down. What must have been the sight from the. lighthouse—these leviathan ships darting about like dolphins round it in the fury of tho storm, defying the elements, and the little trawlers, with their masts bending like reeds to the gale ! The signal was made to get up steani to secure the safety of the ships. The ships then got their canvass reduced and stood off the land. The Mersey and the Melpomene furled their sails, and got up steam, the former stalwart ship moving along like an ocean giant. The gale still increased until about 3 p.m., remaining very thick with rain. About 3 it lifted, the wind fell, the sun shone ; but the sea remained towering up and breaking. The barometer then stood at about 28.50 deg. The Hero, Trafalgar, Algiers, //boukir, and Melpomene were not far separated. Signal made, “ Form the order of sailing in two columns.” This was partially executed, when in a squall the wind shifted to N.W. It then for some three hours blew a perfect hurricane, considerably harder than it had previously blown at S.E The ships stood up well. The /Zero, dauntless as her name, appeared to take it easy The Aboukir, close to leeward of her, carried one reef out of her maintopsail through the whole of it; and the Algiers, the Trafalgar, and the Melpomene were all doing well The former eased up her topsail sheets in the squalls. The Mersey and the Emerald, it is supposed, had steamed into Plymouth, as they were not in sight. The ships kept in open order through the night; they wore in succession by night signal about 1 a.m., made the land at daylight near the Start Point, formed the line of battle by signal, got the steam up, and carrying sail came up Channel at about 11 knot speed, steamed into Portland, and took up anchorage without loss of a sail, a spar, or a rope-yarn. This appears highly creditable to newly organised ships —some only a few months together, the senior not a year; and I hope it will tend to show that our mariners of England are not in that decay that some old gentlemen in the House of Commons are so glad to point out at all times and seasons. A little quiet organization—not a continual harassing and worry at shifting sails and spars and killing men, but a fair exercise at guns, sails, &c.— will make our fleet a credit to the country.