On Wednesday, news was received of Admiral Seymour's squadron, which
performed its part in the late Naval Manoeuvres by disappearing into space. The gallant Admiral took advantage of his twenty-four hours' start, and steamed straight ahead into the Atlantic, covering a distance of no less than 1,800 miles before the end of the manceuvres. But though he nominally placed himself upon a trade-route, he did nothing to interfere with the commerce of the enemy. His line never spread over more than ten miles, and only three ships in all were encountered. The manceuvres therefore afforded no proof that an enemy can both give the slip to our fleet and prey upon our merchant shipping. They only showed, what every one knew before, that twenty-four hours' start makes pursuit impossible in the case of equally matched vessels. One important fact was, however, demonstrated by Admiral Seymour. He made a rendezvous with his colliers in mid- ocean, kept it, and what is more, coaled his vessels in the open Atlantic, a feat previously deemed quite unfeasible. The work, it is reported, was much facilitated by the fact that "the heavy ironclads ride so snugly in an ordinary sea-way, that their sides make a quiet lee for a craft of a more fragile build." The success of the coaling experiment is regarded as most satisfactory, and so in one sense it is. Since, however, England is the Power that owns the coaling-stations of the world, it is not we, but our possible enemies, that will profit most by the new knowledge.
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