13 JULY 1895, Page 3

During the past week the Lords of the Admiralty, with

Mr. Goschen at their head, have been busy entertaining the Italian Fleet at Spithead. The Duke of Genoa, who is in command, has under him a very fine squadron, and all the correspondents are loud in praise both of the Italian ironclads and of the workmanlike bearing both of the men and the officers. They speak, too, of the neatness, order, and cleanness of the ships,—qualities which were not at one time supposed to mark Italian battle-ships. The truth is, the Italians can do most things if they set their minds to them, and they have worked with extraordinary determination to create a navy.