2-970-055 - /Heritage Images

The Grand Naval Review, at Spithead: Liberty-Men going on Shore - sketched by J. W. Carmichael, 1856. Ships of the Royal Navy taking part in a display off the coast of Hampshire. '...the entrance to the harbour was thronged with boats, some of which, filled with merry, bearded faces, were carrying liberty-men from the ships of war to the shore; others were crowded and laden to the thwarts with curious spectators anxious to gain a view from the water...Instructions were also issued by the Admiralty that the passenger-steamers should use the anthracite coal, in order to prevent the atmosphere being obscured by the smoke usually evolved from all other description of coal'. From "Illustrated London News", 1856.