TRAFALGAR DAY IN LONDON.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14742, 22 October 1915, Page 5

TRAFALGAR DAY IN LONDON.

THE MURDER OF MISS GAVELLIS NELSON’S SPIRIT DEAD? Press Association.—Telegraph—Copyright. Received October 22, 10.20 a-m. LONDON, October 21. The Bishop of London, in a Trafalgar Day sermon to a crowded congregation at St. Martin’s-in-thc-Fields, said: —ln former times chivalry lightened the horrors of war, but it is otherwise with our present enemies. Their foulest and latest crime was the murder in cold blood of 'a poor, defenceless English girl, the crime dwarfing even that of the Lusitania. What would Nelson have done in such a case as Miss Cavell’s murder? He would not have resorted to diplomatic- enquiries. He would have made enquiries with the thunder of tho fleet’s guns. Nelson’s spirit was dead in our young men if they did not want to know tho reason why this foul crime was committed. MEMORABLE scenes. Received October 22, 11.35 a.m. LONDON, October 21, A great Red Cross appeal was made in London on the occasion of the Trafalgar anniversary- Many thousands of lady collectors participated, though the weather was showery. In Trafalgar Square there was a memorable scene. The base of Nelson’s Column was smothered with wreaths. From the pedestal between the lions the voices of recruiters floated over the dense crowds. At intervals the people wore thrilled by the clear notes of a trumpeter playing “The Death of Nelson.” The service at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields was made impressive by the solemnity and simplicity of the Bishop's impassioned appeal and denunciation ■of Miss Cavell’s murderers, which deeply stirred the congregation. Many of the Red Cross collectors were on duty at the early markets at 3.30 in the morning. The collections by Australians m the Strand from sales of flags and kangaroo souvenirs will be devoted to the Dardanelles wounded. Among the collectors were Ladies Mcßride, Robinson, Newton Moore, and Miss Ada Crossley. TRAFALGAR DAY. The battle cf Trafalgar, which did so much to firmly establish the sea i.rw-r if Britain, was fought 110 years ago. Lord Nelson’s great victory on the last lay of his life was the sequel to the breakdown of Napoleon’s scheme for the invasion cf the British Isles with his specially organised army of 130,000 men, which he had collected at Boulogne, where, at the beginning of the present war, a large portion of Kitchener's first army met with such an enthusiastic welcome on its arrival to join the French forces in hurling back the 'German invasion. Napoleon’s army was incessantly drilled in embarking and disembarking operations, in order to prepare it for the anticipated raid on hated England, but owing to the vigilance of Nelson’s fleet he opportunity < f crossing the Channel and striking at Loudon never came. At last, in despair, Napoleon broke up his camp at Boulogne and marched- to GerI many, whilst the French fleet, under Yilleneuye, sailed southward. At Trafalgar, Nelson, whose fleet consisted of 27 vessels, met a combined French and Spanish fleet, comprising 33 ships. There is no need to repeat the details of the oft-told story of this memorable fight, hut it is interesting to note that it occupied only some five hours, beginning about midday and ending about five o’clock. In that on? afternoon a victory was achieved bv Britain’s greatest admiral, which had the most far-reaching effect in the subsequent history of Europe. Eighteen of the -nerny ships were captured, hut. owing to ■he gale that sprang up after the battle, no fewer than 14 of these were lost. Some were recovered by the enemy, and others were lost, and only four—three French and one Spanish—were taken to Gibraltar by the British. The number of British men killed and wounded in the battle was stated as 1690, but there is no record of Mm pxa°t extent of the onerav losses. As showing how enormously the British fleet has grown during the past century, it may be mentioned that it has been estimated by a naval writer that the total value of tho ships of the Navy at the time of Trafalgar was about JE10,000,000 nr approximately one-fifth of the -annual Navy vote of the past two or three years.