The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1914. THE BRITISH NAVY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 9, 28 August 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1914. THE BRITISH NAVY.

The groat naval display and inspection by King George on July 20th, must have been a magnificent spect ado, and-graphic accounts of the great pageant are given by writers and correspondents. The special correspondent of the London “Times” states that it was the largest and most powerful fleet ever concentrated in British waters that was led out to sea by the King at Spithead. When the Royal yacht anchored down the great waterway the long columns of ships passed before Jus Majesty. Fhjst there were four battle cruisers in single lino, headed by the Lion, followed by the Queen Mary, Princess Royal, and New Zealand in stately order. The latest of onr battleships then came on two parallel columns, led respectively by the Iron Duke and the King George V. r l he speed at which they were moving was 11 knots. For some little time before each vessel reached the yacht the ships were manned on the side nearer to her, with the marine guards and bands paraded on the forecastle. This arrangement, an unusual one, gave each vessel a touch of bright color like a scarlet ribbon running above the bows. Just as each ship reached tho the stern of the yacht the cheering began, and at tho same time tho seamen took off their hats, holding them out to tho fullest extent of the arm. and as they cheered waved them round their heads. The uniform method in which the movement of the arms and hats was carried out as the cheers wore given made a most striking feature of the salute. Simultaneously the bands played the National Anthem, and the marines presented arms. The King stood on the bridge of the yacht, with the Prince of Wales by his side, acknowledging the salutes as they were made. Tin* four first fleet battle squadrons followed Sir George Callaghan's flagship, including, with the latter. twenty vessels of the latest types. In the first and second squadrons were eight Dreadnoughts, in the third eight King Fdwards, and in the fourth three Dreadnoughts and the Agernemnon. Astern of these ships were the smartlooking cruisers of the first fleet, and Following in their wake came fifty-six Jesfroyers arranged in sections of Fours. The sfaiion-kdsping of these

fast-moving vessels was no less precise than that of their heavier comrades. It took exactly one hour for the first fleet ships- to pass the yacht, and by the time the last had gone the loading vessels of the fleet were away on the horizon. After a slight pause a moving panorama of huge grey hulls was formed by the second and third fleets in two lines, these being the vessels which have been mobilised for the exercises which were to take place in the channel that week. They were led by tli© ■ Loi'd Nelson and Prince of Wales. When these battle squadrons had passed there still remained the cruisers of the second and third fleets and the auxiliaries. Over some of these latter vessels hung a cloud of smoke such as had been noticeably absent from the first fleet ships, indicating probably that their stokehold complements were new to them; but a week’s exercise at sea wifi shake down the ships’ companies and make these vessels as smart as any. These twenty-two miles of warships in motion, in seemingly endless columns, stretching from Spithead far away to seaward, each vessel gliding smoothly through the water with but a wash of spray over her forefoot, made a sight-which those privileged to see it are not likely to forget. A liner opportunity for comparing the vessels could not be afforded. The King Edwards and Dreadnoughts, Bulwarks and Majesties presented not only a diversity of battleship types but a contrast of armament and equipment clearly indicating the advance of recent years. The same was true of the fifty or more cruisers. So, too, the significant difference in the vessels forming the striking force and those in reserve were apparent. Tt must he said at once, however, that the latter ships presented an extremely good showing considering what short time they have been out of the dockyards, and how lately their crews had joined. It was exactly two hours after the leading ship had passed tire yacht that the last vessel in the lines paid her salute to the King. The part played by aircraft in the great procession is also described as being both successful land beautiful. The torpedo boat Niger was anchored due west of the Warner lightship,so that the procession passed by. and continued several miles further before it came to tire Royal yacht. The first sign of activity in the air was the sight of the Maurice Farman, which at 10.25 signalled by wireless to the Calshot the departure of the last ship from Spithead. The seaplanes were prompt to answer the call. Twenty imputes late? 1 came the first of them, two 160 h.p. Shorts flying at 1500 feet. A whole string of machines followed, until, bv 11.15, one could count a dozen J . < ‘ . • i } <;• f } If', f ‘ i in the air, ovey the ships. .Sixteen altogether came by, three ,160 li.p; Shorts,! .'four 100 h.p. Shorts," four' 120 h.p. Henry Farmans, three 100 h.p. Maurice' FarmanS, one J.OO h.p. Sopwith, and the 90 h.p. Sopwith batboat. The air was full of. hum ns of distant threshing machines. They sped past us to the presence of the King. On reaching the Royal yacht some flew over her; others, banking sharply, swung round to the westward in a wide circle. Presently they began to return, travelling home down the wind at a speed of 80 miles an hour, while the gunboats forming the rear of the procession continued outwards at ten knots. Two-seaplanes, jand.two only, failed to accomplish their mission, involving, as it did, a flight of some fifty miles. One of the leading Shorts alighted, befory., reaching . the , RjQya.t , yacht; another came down near on’ the way back. Torpedo' boats were quickly standing by, and soon these two Shorts were being comfortably towed homo at 10 knots. In one case engine trouble, in the other a broken petrol pipe, was tire cause of the coming down. Then came the turn of the naval aeroplanes. An 80 h.p; Sopwith l > leading, with two E.E.S. behind in wedge formation, came over from Hilston at 2000 feet. At the Royal yacht one B.E.S. held hack while its companion went on descending in as steep a spiral as anyone could wish to see. Dropping meanwhile some kind of smoky projectile, then swerving aloft, it joined the others, returning home beneath the second party, coining out on the SO h.p. Bristol, an 80 Avre and 50 Short. These performed various x J. evolutions while the Royal yacht pro- " pared to go out to sea. 1 ° c