THE FLYING SQUADRON.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2026, 2 November 1869, Page 2

THE FLYING SQUADRON.

{From the Plymouth Standard , July 24.)

“ Her Majesty’s ship Liffey, “ Madeira, July 2.

“ Thursday, June 25, was fixed for the departure of the Flying Squadron, under the command of Admiral Homby, which consisted of the Liverpool, flag ship ; 31 guns, Endymion, 21, Captain Lacy; Scylla, 21, Captain Herbert ; Liffey, 31, Captain Johnson ; the Bristol, 31, Captain Wilson ; and the Barossa, 21, Captain Gibson. Everything was ready for sea, the ships were unmoored, the cables shortened in, and, though the weather was gloomy, and heavy drops of rain fell, numbers of people flocked to the Hoe to see the unaccustomed sight of such a fleet weighing under sail ; and the port admiral himself, with a select party, steamed in his yacht from Mount Wise to bid us adieu. A long delay before the final signal was made, ‘ Weigh,’ kept all in suspence, when a signal from the Barossa pointed out that au accident had happened to her machinery. We, however, remained in ignorance of its nature or extent until the evening. Meantime the question suggested itself whether the fleet would proceed to sea without the erring ship. Friday, however, brought us orders again to prepare for sea, and again the departure was postponed, and officers and privileged men were permitted to land for a few hours. The Bristol and Scylla were sent out that morning for exercise, and the latter only was permitted to return into harbor, while she stood on and off the Breakwater, with orders not to go out of sight of the Eddystone. “ At 3 a.m, Saturday, June 19th, the fleet Weighed. First came the Liffey, next thq Eadymion, after her the Scylla, and lastly the Liverpool. The first signal made was to rendezvous seven miles south-west of the Eddystone ; but as the winds were very light it was past noon before we had taken up our stations, sailing in two columns. The gene* ral curiosity as to the relative speed of the ships in light winds was soon gratified; the Scylla, under such circumstances, showing herself the fleetest; next in sp ed was the Liffey; the Liverpool and Bristol were about the same, but the Endymion was the slowest of all. Madeira was given as the rendezvous in the case of parting, and towards evening the wind from the northwest gradually freshened, and we bowled along at six knots an hour. On Sunday we were still favored with auspicious breezes, and at noon we found ourselves off Ushant. The routine of the service with regard to sail drill was carried out on Monday, 21st, and all hands were glad when the display of the dinner pendant released them from their toils at shift topsails, jibs, courses, masts, and spars. In the afternoon signals were made for boats to hoax’d the flag-ship at 5 p.m., when orders were received for a temporary exchange of naval instructors for the examination of the midshijxmen under each other’s charge, an order which on the following day entailed boating excursions from the different ships in the rolling waters of the Bay of Biscay, Wednesday morning Admiral Hornby inspected Her Majesty’s ship Liffey, coming on board under circumstances of wind and sea that would have deterred any but the most energetic of young admirals. The inspection, which under such circumstances usually embraces a minute inspection of the ship, drills, clothing, and accounts, was continued until 4 p.m., when the ships were hove-to, and the admiral took his departure for the Liverpool, under conditions of weather, if possible, more trying than those encountered in the morning. “ June 26.—The wind, which up to this time had been favorable, and bad brought us within 300 mi cs of Madeira, now changed to the S.'V., and at noon we were 224 miles from our destination, and the increased heat incidental to a southern latitude and a hot wind made the i-egulation with regard to water a source of excessive inconvenience. Scarcely can it be recognised by landsmen what it is to be on an allowance of water, but such in these days of economy exists in this model squadron ; five quarts of water arc allowed to each officer and man, but out of this liberal allowance water has to be found for washing and shaving (which is still enforced), cooking, bakixxg, drinking, washing up mess-traps ; so that with the officers, when the deductions have been made from their allowance for mess purposes, and for the watering of the sheep and live stock, a single glass of water is a luxury ; and with the crew I have known the deck tauk to be drained at eight p.m., an I no chance of a drop of water throughout the night for the poor sailors, no matter how hard their wotk or how distracting may have been their thirst. Can it bo wondered at that tiie prospect of a cruise of nearly two years has, under such circumstances, h'st its interest and romance with even the elder ones 7 Statistical statements are constantly being made that the small sum of 3s a day expended in coal would relieve all this distress, as one toil of coal gives 2009 gallons of water. “Tuesday, the 29th, found us about 140 miles from Madeira. Raffling winds hero made us retrace a portion of our way, and it was not unril the following day (Wednesday) wc sighted and passed the beautiful island of Santo Porto, about thirty miles north of Madeira ; hut at 6.30 all the ships were hove to, as all the captains an I commanders were invited to dine with Admiral Hornby on board the Liverpool. While at dinner, the homeward-bound African mail steamed up alongside of us to get our mails, but alas ! xxoue were ready. The flag ship, however, detained her sufficiently long to send home some letters.

“July I.—We were tantalised by a near view of tiic land, but as wc lay becalmed, with but distant prospects of anchoring before evening, it was the reverse of agreeable ; while '"native boats, which hovered about, were tempting in their offers to transport us to the shore."