The French fleet, headed by Admiral Gervais's flagship Marengo,' arrived
on Wednesday. The first English criticism which suggested itself was, that the grey colour of the hulls, though easier to see at night than the English black, is less easy to see by day, and that the French ships were far less visible even when near at hand, than the English vessels even when at a. distance,—the grey being very near the shade of the fog and mist of the English atmosphere. At night, however, the English ships are much less easy to distinguish than the French. Some of the great French ships are said to be even uglier than our own monsters, and that is saying a great deal. The weather was very unpropitious yesterday morning for the ceremonial of the day,—the Queen's review of the French fleet. Luckily, however, she had postponed the ceremony till 4 o'clock, and before then there may have been some im- provement in the weather, which even after 12 o'clock remained -very sullen and unpromising. The armaments and discipline of the French ships are spoken of very highly by their English critics, and the vigour and smartness of the French sailors is the subject of even heartier admiration. The meeting of the two fleets will increase the good-will and the generous emulation between the two naval Services.
