THE BRITISH FLEET AT BREST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12955, 26 August 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BRITISH FLEET AT BREST.

WARM FRENCH WELCOME TO BRITISH SAILORS. The heights round Brest were black with people on Monday, July 10, watching for the approach of the British Atlantic fleet, which came to pay the promised visit to French waters. A signal by semaphore announced that the smoke of the British, ships was visible, and at last the grey line of warships appeared steaming slowly along, keeping perfect station, and loomed up through the mist, an imposing spectacle. With 21 guns Admiral May's flagship, King Edward VII., saluted the Tricolor, and Admiral Caillard's flagship and Brest Castle replied. Then a British fleet took up it.: moorings in Brest Harbour for the first time for 40 years. Each visitor was alongside a French warship. The Majestic, Prince George, Commonwealth, and Assistance moored in the Grande Hade, or outer harbour, while the King Edward VII., Magnificent, Mars, Illustrious, Doris, Amethyst, and Victorious were allotted positions m the Bade Abri, or inner harbour. British and French admirals exchanged visits, and the circumstances were of a most impressive character. When Admiral May arrived on board the French nagship Masscna the band of the licet, played "God Save the King." On board the Victorious a look out was kept for French admirals and other authorities. A bugle sounded', the lieutenant of marines called attention, and the "Marseillaise" struck up, every man saluting as the last bar died away. A moment later " God Save the King" was resounding on board every French battleship, and every French olliccr and man stood saluting. Crowds lined the streets and cheered the British admiral when he went ashore to pay official visits. In the evening a- dinner was given on board the Masscna. Sailors were not given leave to go ashore, but a number of marines were permitted to do so, their scarlet tunics and white helmets making a sharp contrast with the quaint, old-world costumes of the peasants. Marines and French soldiers were soon on the best of terms. There was a torchlight procession with an entente cordiale car, and a general illumination of the town.

A luncheon was given to the British officers the next day at the Maritime Prefecture. Vice-Admiral Fephau recalled the fact that he was present at the festivities held at Brest in 1865 in honour of the British squadron, which visited the port that year. Admiral May, who responded to the toast in French, remarked that this was not his first visit to Brest. Once before he lunched in that hall with Admiral Count de la Jailic, formerly Maritime Prefect there. BRITISH and FRENCH SAILORS. On shore the British sailors soon made friends with the Bretons, and were soon going through the streets arm-in-arm with them. Although about 3000 British bluejackets and marines were enjoying all (he amusements that Brest could oiler, from the wooden roundabout to the ul fresco cafe, their orderliness was admirable. One burly sergeant of marines, sitting between two French bluejackets, looked so satisfied that he was asked how he made himself understood by his French friends. " I don't try," was his reply. " 1 just sets and looks." At night a ball was given by the French officers on board the battleships Jaureguiberry and Formidable, which were lashed together. The admiral's bridge of the former vessel became a bandstand, the quarter-deck a foyer, the forecastle and upper works were boarded in and changed by the aid of parquet flooring into a perfect stage for dancers. Altogether 3000 guests were entertained, and the shore was thronged with Bretons listening to the strains of music from the floating ballroom.

The British officers at the dance were "very restrained, displaying an almost instinctive desire to keep together in groups." This, however, was only at the beginning. A thaw soon set in, the men of both services fraternising over their cigarettes, while the proverbial merriment of the midshipmen could not long remain suppressed even under the restraint of an official ball, and %oon these young gentlemen, together with certain light-hearted youths from the French training ship Borda and " aspirants" in the French navy, were chatting away like magpies.

The suggestion of a feeling of restraint, however, is hardly borne out by this statement in the Figaro:--" One of the gnosis of Admiral Caillartl said after dinner on hoard the Massena: ' The English officers are really charming. They left all their proverbial coldness outside, only to bring us smiles and graciousness.' That is quite the note of the entente cordiale festivities, which, though unattended by emphatic effusions, are marked by a cordiality of the highest kind." The Ambassadorial party took supper at-a private buffet arranged on the Jaurcguiberry. The ball, which is acknowledged to be unparalleled in the history of Brest naval courtesies, was kept up until, about four a.m. on Wednesday. Vice-Admiral Sir W. May gave an official luncheon on the Wednesday on board the battleship King Edward VII. The table was laid on the quarter-deck, which was beautifully decorated with flowers. A trophy of two largo flags—French and British —intertwined with an anchor below, die whole mounted on a gun, was a notable feature of the decorations. Covers were laid for 120 guests, among whom was Sir Francis Bertie, the British Ambassador. At the close of the luncheon Admiral May read a telegram from Lord Kuollys in reply to one he had sent King Edward announcing the arrival of the licet at Brest. The telegram ran as follows"I have had the honour to transmit your telegram to the King, and His Majesty has commanded me to inform you of the pleasure he felt at the excellent reception extended to His Majesty's licet at Brest." * t

All the British ships were thrown open to-t-he public, and Admiral May provided 32 launches to convey visitors on board. Some 2000 availed themselves of the privilege. They were shown over the ships in parties by the petty officers. British and French bluejackets commingled freely, the latter distinguishable by the tiny scarlet tuft which they wear on their white caps. Cycle races and the country fair, with their wooden merry-go-rounds, were most patronised; while there was a- run on stationers' shops for picture postcards to send Home. Admiral Pephau gave a party in the gardens of the Maritime Prefecture, to which some 2000 guests were invited, and the dance music was entirely English. In one corner of the garden Admiral Pephau had set up a typical Breton farmhouse, with Breton peasants in national costume to wait on his guests. By the side of the cottage was a. group of pipers, blowing their Breton pipes, and strawberry plants laden with berries were planted in terraces, and the guests plucked what they wanted for themselves. One could see the gallant commander of a British battleship on his knees, in full uniform, filling plate after plate with the fruit, and handing them to his partners. 31. UIiLCASSJi ON THE " ENTENTE." The Gaulois published what it describes as a remarkable interview with M. Delcasse. Ml Dulcasse, discussing the contention that all serious politics, so far as concerns international relations, are directed not by any sentiments of antipathy or sympathy, but simply from the point of view of respective interests, is made to say: " Are our .interests more closely connected with Germany or with England? It is entirely a question of commercial advantages. Which is our best customer? England. We sell her hundreds of millions' worth of goods annually What does Germany purchase from us? Nothing. Could we hope to struggle against England by force of arms? " It is impossible to deny to England the empire of the seas. For every ship we build she puts live on the stocks. Let us rather listen to cold reason, and see how, at the price of sacrifices apparent but not real, the co-operation of England may be of immense value to us in certain eventualities. What that co-operation means primarily for us is this: That it makes it impossible for Germany to make war upon us. The threats of war 'which were noised abroad after the opening of the Morocco incident cannot seriously be considered as such. " In the event of a war in which England and France were operating jointly against Germany of what avail would be, the Gor- ; man navy? What would happen to the

ports, the commerce, the mercantile marine of Germany? It would mean annihilation. That is the significance of a carefully prepared and accurately timed visit of the British squadron to Brest; and the return visit of a French squadron to England will complete this demonstration of the entente -between the two countries. "The navy has become so formidable a weapon of modern warfare that neither Germany nor any other Power could face the probability of her naval force being destroyed. The war in the Far East has shown plainly that the sea is the element of which it is necessary before all to hold the command. " The entente cordiale is a means towards the arrangement of a definite understanding between England and Russia, and in the negotiations for that understanding the Minister at the French Foreign Office will play a prominent part. That is the possible surprise which the Franco-British accord holds for the world. That is the prank I intended to play upon the future in arranging this meeting of fleets which hold in their hands the'mastery of the seas.. Our influence with England, now greatly augmented, gave me the opportunity successfully to take til is first step towards the accomplishment of a task which for many years to come would set a seal upon the peace of the world."