File:The Naval Manoeuvres - ILN 1897.jpg

English: The Naval Manoeuvres. Drawn by our special artist with the fleet, Mr. C. J. de Lacy. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 17 July 1897.

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Volume 111, Issue 3039.

Topː HMS Brilliant (cruiser) with the last batch of mails meeting the Fleet after the departure from Berehaven.

Bottomː Commanding officers of battle-ships and cruisers of the Reserve Squadron coming on board Rear-Admiral Pearson's flag-ship the Sanspareil in Berehaven Harbour, to receive instructions before the Squadron sails.

The Naval Manoeuvres have this year been somewhat curtailed in length, but have not been therefore the less interesting. On the contrary, they have possessed a good deal more interest than usual for the average mind, as a practical demonstration of what would be the real value in time of war of the splendid fleet lately reviewed at Spithead. As an object-lesson in naval tactics these manoeuvres have an importance of their own which is not diminished by the fact that one or other division does not literally carry out the scheme prepared beforehand for the sake of strategic actuality. This year the general idea of the operations of the Channel Fleet was as follows. In anticipation of war, the Second Division, commanded by Rear-Admiral Fellowes, and consisting of the battle-ships Magnificent (flag-ship), Royal Sovereign. Resolution, Repulse, and Empress of India, together with eight cruisers, put to sea from Blacksod Bay, leaving one cruiser behind to bring on the news that war had been declared. This cruiser, under orders to proceed direct to a rendezvous at a fixed speed, was followed some hours after she had started by two cruisers of an opposing squadron (First Division) with the object of discovering the position of the enemy-squadron and informing their own Admiral, who had put to sea fronm Lough Swilly, so as to enable him to prevent the return of that squadron to Blacksod Bay by intercepting it at sea. The First Division was under the command of Admiral Stephenson, and consisted of the battle-ships Majestic (flag), Prince George, Mars, Jupiter, Victorious, and Renomwn, and ten cruisers. The First Division eventually cut the second off from its port, but only to learn from the signals of Rear-Admiral Fellowes, when his fleet was sighted, that he was then making a second return to Blacksod Bay, having arrived there the day before and having thereafter put to sea again by the instruction of the Admiralty. The victory was thus left to the decision of the Admiralty, there being some doubt as to whether the first return or the finally forestalled arrival was to represent the achievement of the Second Division. The independent operations of the Reserve Fleet were meanwhile carried out on the following general plan. News had been received that a hostile squadron (Second Division) had been ordered to be at one of two rendezvous on a certain date with the object of making a sudden descent from the nearest of them on Berehaven or Falmouth, according to the final decision of the Admiral; and it had transpired not only that both rendezvous were equidistant from Brow Head, in Ireland, and over one hundred miles apart, but that one was as far from the Fastnet Rock as the other was from St. Mary's, Scilly,. The Defence Squadron (First Division) was therefore ordered to put to sea from Milford Haven to endeavour to intercept the hostile squadron before it could reach either port. The First Division (Milford Haven) was commanded by Admiral Compton Domvile, and consisted of the battleships Alexandra (flag), Benbow, Howe, Collingwood, Devastation, and Colossus, together with nine cruisers; the Second Division (Berehaven), commanded by Rear-Admiral Pearson, was composed of the battle - ships Sansparel (flag), Edinburgh, Thunderer, Warspite, and Aurora and eight cruisers. Admiral Domvile eventually succeed in preventing Admiral Pearson and his Second Division from reaching Falmouth, and the mimic war was at an end.