CORONATION NAVAL REVIEW.

Otago Witness, Issue 2527, 20 August 1902, Page 19

CORONATION NAVAL REVIEW.

OVER ONE HUNDRED WARSHIPS REVIEWED BY THE KING.

ILLUMINATIONS SPOILT.

LONDON, August 15. Thousands are visiting Westminster Abbey daily. £3340 was paid for adsion in two days.

Colonel M'Williams entertained the Australian detachment of the colonial Coronation Contingent at the Grand Hotel prior to their departure. August 17.

There was an immense inrush of visitors to the Isle of Wight for the Coronation naval review. The cliffs were crowded with spectators. Mr Chamberlain, Lords Kitchener and Roberts, Sir E. Barton and Lady Barton, and Mr Seddon and party were aboard the steamer Nigeria. The other colonials were aboard the Arcadia. The La Plata arrived at Spithead early, and steamed through the fleet. Admiral C. F. Hotham, aboard the Roj'al Sovereign, commanded 20 battleships, 24 cruisers, 15 gunboats, 10 training .ships, 32 torpedo destroyers, 7 torpedo boat?, formed into four lines each three and a-half miles long.

The arrival of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert with the King and Queen and the royal party aboard, at 2.30, was greeted by manning the .ships and the ships firing salutes of 21 guns. The Victoria and Albert, accompanied by the yachts Albert, Osborne, and Enchantress, steamed east between the gunboats, battleships, and cruisers, returning past a. few foreign warships, including two Japanc-e — the Asoma and Toko&ajo, — whose reception was markedly enthusiastic. They theu steamed east again past tho merchant .steamers, including the Ophir, which was crowded with visitors, who paid lo guineas per head. Tho crew of each vessel cheered ths royal yacht, the King (in Admiral's uniform), with the Queen and Princess of Wales, standing on the bridge and saluting each vessel, the whole fleet cheering when the Victoria and Albert anchored near the Royal Sovereign. Later the King received the British and foreign flag officers, while the review ground had been opened for, visitors for inspection, pending the illuminations at night. The illuminations were unfortunately completely spoilt by a violent thunder* btorm and torrents of rain-

An Albtiry visitor to Melbourne recently was infamously imposed upon as goon as he stepped out of the train. A man who iiaid be uas a detective arrested the iinsuspect ing traveller as an accomplice in %vhat he termed " that Sydney affair." The fake detective took his charge to a waiting room, and after searching him through decamped with £2, which he found in his victim" s .

A lad named Simmor.ds fell down a. sliafc 70ft deep, containing 15ft of water, near Armulale. Xovr SoutJi YVa!e», s lie othei <lay, ana wxs hauled up safely in a bucket by his mother. Tv.o aiionjinoii" ( t mrilnit on- of £1 caf 1\ liave been received by the Colonial Treasurer as " conscience noii^y "' AV 1 1 h tlie eecond one was a slip of papei endorsed " Wiyjaad duty. Last mculiuent."