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The Spithead naval review was held on special occasions and designed to show
the might of the Royal Navy. The reviews were held for particular royal
occasions such as a jubilee or coronation or for visiting Dominion premiers
attending the various Imperial Conferences. This particular film is dated
somewhere between 1904 and 1907. The seemingly endless line of battleships, in
review order, stretches to the horizon. Because of the vast empire, the navy was
crucial for the defence not only of Britain herself but also of her territories
around the world. Germany's desire to match British naval strength led to
increasing international tensions, anti-German feeling and political problems at
home for the Liberal Government of Herbert Asquith. In 1909, when it seemed
likely that fewer battleships were to be commissioned, there was an orchestrated
public outcry for more to be built.
The Royal Navy was a recurring feature of both spy films and non-fiction
films. Spy films relied on threats to Britannia's rule of the waves for dramatic
effect, depicting attempts to destroy the fleet or steal some technological
advantage; two of the leading film heroes, Lieutenants Rose and Daring, were naval officers. Non-fiction films often showed the latest launching of a
battleship, the life of the sailors, naval reviews and fleet exercises.
Simon Baker
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Complete film (2:51)
