From Portland To Bantry Bay In One Of Her Majesty's Ironclads.

highest discipline alone could prevent clashing the same , causing each atom of human agency to run so evenly in the groove laid clown for it that the whole works as smoothly and as steadily as some monster machine controlled by steam power . But there is a stir on the bridge ! Every glass is directed seaward , ancl much speculation is indulged in , as to whether " SHE" is a " man-of-war" or no . Not long are we left undecided , for her number is made out , ancl then we know it is 1 I . M . S .

"Lord Warden" returning from her unsuccessful attempt to raise the "Enrydice . " We know the attempt ended in failure , from last nig ht ' s latest telegrams , but as no particulars were published , we look forward to culling a few items from the fountainhead . We are not doomed to be enbghtened yet though , for as soon as the " Lord Warden" has taken up her position , the signal is made to " weigh . " The decks have for some time been almost desertedbut at the shrill boatswain ' s call , "Clear lower deck "

, , the hands come tumbling up through every hatchway , lay hold of the capstan bars , ancl to a lively tune from the fiddler commence heaving in the cable , as they go round aud round in step with the music . Next comes " catting" and "fishing , " an operation which , after all the explanations I received , I cannot g ive in more nautical parlance than that " catting " is the system used to secure one end of the anchor , aud " fishing " that of the other .

But by tins time we are outside the breakwater , and I feel myself being rockedvery gently though— "On the cradle of the deep ; " but I manfully stand firm , and fry to get my sea-legs , being rewarded ere long with a sight that surpasses all the military reviews I have ever witnessed . It is the manoeuvring of a large ironclad fleet under steam . We came out one after the other in Indian file—we took up position in two lines abreast—we wheeled right and left—we formed

fours—we counter-marched , or rather steamed—now in open order , now in close order •—and the whole time each ship going at the rate of eight knots an hour . I was utterly bewildered at the rapid motions and varied formations of the ponderous floating iron forts , the whole controlled under the Admiral of the fleet , by a few simple signals from

his flagship . I confess that my thoughts were busy with "Yanguards , "Grosser Kurfursts , " and "Eurydices ; " but after carefully studying the motions , I was convinced that only by a ship disobeying the general signal could a casualty occur . As long as each ship remains in motion , subject to the guiding power , so long will all go like clockwork . How far such machinery might be thrown out by the appearance of a merchant vessel in the way I cannot say ; thank Heaven we had no opportunity of judging . My land experience would lead me to surmise that it would be very like a goods train getting in the way of a fast passenger train .

Ancl now II tells ine it is time for lunch , so having become quite used to the sea by this time ( though that is not surprising , considering that there has hardly been a ripple on the water since we left Portland ) , I go down , ancl am soon convinced that the sea air has indeed sharpened my appetite . Nothing to watch during the afternoon but the changeless sea and sky , save faint indications of something less shadowy away far on our right , or starboard beam , as I am taught to say , which I am told were the hills of Devon and Cornwall—nothing to listen to but the eternal throb of the engines fulfilling their mighty task ..

And yet I have more , much more than I can get through in making myself acquainted with the internal economy of a man-of-war , and have learnt but very little when a messenger from II—¦— tells me that the fleet is about to perform the evening evolution . I hasten on deck ancl find all the ships clouded with canvas . Another signal , and in less than three minutes not a stitch is to be seen . I notice that each ship strives to outdo the others in each evolution ; but my eye was not practised enough to give the preference to

any one where all were so very smart . The sailors deserved a rest , ancl I noticed that they amused themselves by smoking , sewing , dancing , and singing , till it was time for them to " turn in , " sometime before which all the hammocks were " piped down " from the nettings where they are stowed very neatly during the day . I retire to my " nautical couch" well tired , and am anything but pleased at the constant noises , calculated to disturb anyone who has not served an apprenticeship to