An interesting feature of the Diamond Jubilee review at Spithead, as on former occasions, was the presence of representatives of the mercantile marine in the garb of armed cruisers. By arrangements between the Admiralty and the Cunard, the P. & O., the White Star, and the Canadian Pacific Steamship companies, £48,620 were paid last year in the form of subventions, the vessels so held at the disposal of the Government being the Campania, Lucania, Teutonic, Majestic, Himalaya, Australia, Victoria, Arcadia, Empress of India, Empress of Japan, and Empress of China.
“TEUTONIC,” ARMED CRUISER, IN 1897.
Many other mercantile steamers besides these are also at the disposal of the Government, being subsidized, and the facilities for converting them into armed cruisers at short notice are most complete, a reserve stock of breech-loading and machine guns being kept in readiness at convenient stations where the transformation can be effected in a few hours. The armament of the Teutonic when she appeared at Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee review consisted of eight 4.7-inch quick-firing guns, and eight Nordenfeldt guns. As an example of how quickly a large auxiliary fleet might at any time be equipped, the case of the Teutonic is in point. Leaving New York on Monday, June 14th, with her usual mails and passengers, she reached Liverpool on the 21st. Between that and the 24th she discharged her cargo, was thoroughly cleaned, took on her armour and full complement of naval officers and men, and having on board a host of distinguished guests, was at her appointed place in the review on Saturday, the 26th. Returning to Liverpool, she laid aside her guns, and on the 30th sailed for New York, as if nothing had happened. The Campania, which left New York two days later than the Teutonic, also appeared at the review in holiday dress, her only armament, however, on this occasion consisting of a large detachment of members of the Houses of Lords and Commons, among whom doubtless were many “great guns.”
Marine Distances.
A nautical mile, or “knot,” is about 6,082.66 feet; a statute, or land mile, 5,280 feet; the knot is, therefore, equal to 1.1515 mile. The circumference of the earth being divided geographically into 360 degrees, and each degree into 60 nautical miles, the circumference measures 21,600 knots, equal to about 25,000 statute miles. Knots can be readily reduced to statute miles by means of the following table:
| Knots | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 100 |
| Miles | 1.151 | 2.303 | 3.454 | 4.606 | 5.757 | 11.515 | 28.787 | 115.148 |
When the Lucania averaged 22 knots, she was running at the rate of 25⅓ statute miles an hour; her longest day’s run (560 knots) was equal to 644¾ miles, about the distance covered by an ordinary fast express train on the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The old-fashioned ship’s “log” is a piece of wood in the form of a quadrant, loaded with lead at the circumference, to which is attached a line of 120 fathoms or more. Allowance being made for “stray line,” the balance is divided into equal distances by knots and small bits of coloured cloth. The distance between each knot is the same part of a mile that 30 seconds is of an hour (the 120th); the length between knots should thus be a trifle over 50 feet. The number of knots run out in half a minute (as measured by the sand-glass) indicate the number of nautical miles the ship is running per hour.