English: The Naval Manoeuvres, Admiral Sir George Tryon's fleet at steam tactics, from sketches by our special artist. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 24 August 1889.
The annual Naval Manoeuvres of 1889
J. R. Wells was the ILN's special artist with the A Squadron on Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon's flagship HMS Hercules.
Our Illustrations are from sketches by our Special Artists Mr. J. R. Wells on board H.M.S. Hercules, and Mr. W. H. Overend on board H.M.S. Northumberland.
Read the ILN
THE NAVAL MANOEUVRES. We have described the composition of the two opposed squadrons, more intelligibly called the Attacking Fleet and the Defending Fleet; the former (officially termed the B Squadron) under command of Admiral Baird, with Admiral D'Arcy Irvine as his second in command ; the latter (the A Squadron) commanded by Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, with Admiral Tracey second, and with detached squadrons guarding Plymouth, Sheerness, with the Nore, the Downs, and Dover, also at Hull, Leith, and the eastern coast. Admiral Baird's fleet is supposed to be that of an enemy in possession of Ireland, with its appointed rendezvous at Achill Island, Mayo, on the west coast, with hostile designs against Great Britain: its operations were begun at Queenstown. the harbour of Cork, and at Berehaven, in Bantry Bay. Sir George Tryon's headquarters are in Milford Haven, near the south entrance of St. George's Channel; but he has a squadron in Lamlash. Bay, Isle of Arran, outside the entrance to the Firth of Clyde, with which to protect the north channel into the Irish Sea, and the commercial ports of Glasgow and Liverpool. The Attacking Fleet, acting within certain limits of distance, is to do its worst in the nominal capture of British merchant-vessels at sea. Ships of either fleet are understood to be captured after being forced to engage in a mimic combat with a decidedly superior force, during two hours, and being unable to get away; they are then transferred to the opposing fleet. The- fortifications, coastguard stations, harbour and coaling accommodations, and telegraph offices of Ireland are supposed to be in possession of the enemy until any of them are captured by the British fleet. War was declared, by an order of the Admiralty, at six o'clock in the morning on Thursday. Aug. 15, to continue during fourteen days. The Defending Fleet (the A Squadron) then lay at Milford Haven, Sir George Tryon's flag-ship being H.M.S. Hercules; while the Attacking Fleet (the B Squadron) was divided between Queenstown, where Admiral Baird's flag was hoisted on board H.M.S. Northumberland, and Bantry Bay, where a portion of this force was stationed under Admiral D'Arcy Irvine. As soon as the telegram for the commencement of hostilities was received by Admiral Baird at Queenstown, his ships left that harbour and put to sea in the following order: Camperdown, Iris, Inflexible, Hero, Iron Duke, Rattlesnake, Curlew, Northumberland, flotilla of eight torpedo-boats, torpedo depot ship Hecla, cruisers Magicienne, Mersey, and Immortalit6. After passing Roche's Point, the ships went through a series of evolutions, and then steered to the southward. They were to be joined from Bantry Bay by Admiral-D'Arcy Irvine's portion of the fleet, which included the Devastation, Anson, Collingwood, Monarch, Australia, Calypso, Nymphe, the first-class torpedo-boat Grasshopper, and several smaller torpedo-boats. In the meantime the Defending Fleet (the A Squadron) came out of Milford Haven in single file, consisting of the ironclads not capable of a speed of much more than ten knots-namely, first the Hercules, Sir George Tryon's flag-ship, followed in their order by the Invincible, Shannon, Black Prince, Ajax, and Neptune, while the fast battle-ships and all the cruisers were ahead, covering as much ground as possible in skirmishing order, with scouts thrown out on either hand. The Northampton, which is slow, joined the fleet later in the day. The Warspite being the swiftest and most trustworthy ship, with a large coal supply, was sent on to act as a vedette in front of everything. The course steered was north-westerly from Milford Haven. At two o'clock in the afternoon (Thursday) Admiral Tryon arrived off Waterford, and that city became the scene of stirring events. Five torpedo-boats, Nos. 58, 60. 71, 75, and 76, commanded by Lieutenants Cecil Carey, Dudley De Chair, Price Lewes, Harry Jones, and William Boothby, were sent up the river on a mission to the Mayor and civic authorities. They were abundantly strong enough to withstand any attack likely to be made on them by the coastguard or other enemy, but they were supported by the Mohawk and Serpent, which anchored in Waterford Bay, while the belted cruisers swept up and down the coast and the battle-ships cruised at slow speed in the offing. There were no guns fired to simulate a bombardment, neither was any sum of money requisitioned; but the inhabitants were informed that their city was taken, and that they must submit to the destruction of all ships, boats, coal, and other stores, of whatsoever nature, that might possibly be of service to the enemies of Great Britain and be used to her detriment. With this exception, they were informed they would not be molested if they behaved themselves. Otherwise, they would be punished. Similar operations were carried out about the same time by the Hotspur and Belleisle, with torpedo-boats 51, 52, 53, and 54, at Belfast, and by the Mercury, with torpedo-boats 57, 59. 66, 77, and 81, at Dublin. All the torpedo-boats had their full armament on board, consisting of quick-firing and machine guns, as well as their torpedo-launching tubes. The Clyde or Lamlash Bay squadron, consisting of the Hotspur (flag-ship), the Gorgon, Belleisle, Hearty, Cyclops, Hecate, and Plover, with four torpedo-boats, had promptly crossed the north part of the Irish Sea to Belfast; and it was notified to the Mayor of Belfast by Captain Harvey Royse, senior officer of the advance squadron, that the docks and shipping of Belfast were in the power of the British naval commander. On the other hand, a portion Of the Attacking Fleet had been detached to pass round the west and north-west coasts of Ireland to Lough Swilly, a deep inlet of Donegal, which is as famous as Bantry Bay in the history of attempted French invasions. On Saturday morning the battle-ship Inflexible,the torpedo store-ship Hecla, and the torpedo-catcher Grasshopper, of the B Squadron, arrived in Lough Swilly, and during the day steam-launches were engaged laying submarine mines, which have rendered Lough Swilly impregnable. The Grasshopper remained at Lough Swilly as a decoy to lure the enemy's ships among the mines, and within range of the guns of the Inflexible. It was expected that No. 79 torpedo-boat, with Prince George of Wales on board, belonging to Admiral Baird's fleet, would arrive in the Lough. The electric lights were used on Saturday night. But a severe blow was inflicted that day on the combined squadrons of the Attacking Fleet in the Atlantic, some eighty miles south of the Irish coast, in the direction of a line drawn from Cork past the Scilly Isles to Cape Ushant, on the western shore of Britanny. Sir George Tryon, with his flag-ship the Hercules, the Invincible, Shannon, Black Prince, Neptune, and Conqueror, was observing this line, about twenty miles south of the Lizard Point, while the Rodney, Howe, Warspite, the Medea, and two other cruisers, under Admiral Tracey, were posted along the line, watching the approach to the English Channel. Three ships of Admiral Baird's fleet-namely, the Hero, second-class ironclad battle-ship, Captain J. Fellowes, C.B.; the Immortalite. first-class belted cruiser, Captain R. H. Hamond; and the Camperdown, first-class ironclad battle-ship, Captain R. D. King-sent in advance of the hostile force from Queenstown, encountered Admiral Tracey in the Rodney, which was supported by the Howe and Warspite ; and all the three ships of the enemy were captured, successively, and were taken as prizes into Falmouth Harbour. Prince George of Wales, with two torpedo-boats engaged in the naval manoeuvres, steamed into Greenore Harbour at five o'clock on Monday morning, Aug. 19. As they dashed past Blockhouse the boats displayed their numbers, which were 79, commanded by his Royal Highness, and 42, commanded by Lieutenant Keppel. Having anchored they requisitioned water and coal, which was supplied. Prince George and the officers dined at the Greenore Hotel. Great excitement was caused by the arrival of the boats, which were visited by large crowds during the day. The boats left at eight o'clock at night under secret orders. On Monday night, in foggy weather and darkness, the Anson, Collingwood, and Australia, of Admiral Baird's fleet, sailed out of Queenstown Harbour, and successfully ran the blockade maintained by Admiral Tryon's fleet, which, having established a complete chain. of patrols by swift cruisers, returned to Milford Haven. Our Illustrations are from sketches by our Special Artists Mr. J. R. Wells on board H.M.S. Hercules, and Mr. W. Overend on board H.M.S. Northumberland.
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