Queen Victoria, aboard the Royal Yacht Fairy, inspecting the Baltic Fleet as it prepares to sail in March 1854

As the threat of a general war with Russia increased throughout 1853, the Admiralty was forced to gather enough ships to meet its requirements in two separate theatres of operation. At the turn of the New Year, on 3rd January 1854, a powerful Anglo-French fleet entered the Black Sea at the same time as another fleet was being assembled at Spithead for despatch to the Baltic. This second fleet was under the command of Admiral Sir Charles Napier, flying his flag in the huge 131-gun three-decker Duke of Wellington, and consisted of twelve screw-assisted ships-of-the-line supported by three new paddle frigates. The flotilla, the first steam-powered battlefleet in British naval history, was ready for sea early in March and Queen Victoria was invited to inspect it on the day it was scheduled to sail, 11th March. Arriving from London that morning by special train, the Queen boarded the small screw yacht Fairy which made its way out to where the ships lay under the lee of the Isle of Wight. No mere ceremonial review however, this fleet was armed and ready to engage the enemy as was patently clear as the royal yacht wove its way betwixt and between the individual ships. Writing many years afterwards, the noted Victorian author and 'man of letters' Sir Walter Besant wrote the following recollections of the spectacular occasion:

"It was a fresh and breezy day in March; the sun came out in occasional gleams, and shot long arrows of light athwart the clouds. The sea was dark with multitudes of boats, yachts, steamers, and craft of all kinds; the shore was black with the thousands who sat there watching for the signal to be given. And riding at anchor lay the ships on which the fortunes of England depended.. Presently we saw the Queen's steamer the Fairy threading her graceful way swiftly in and out of the ships, while the Jack Tars manned the yardarms, and cheered till the shore took it up with echoes and the counter-cheering of the spectators. They sailed, the Queen leading the way. Out flew the white canvas, fluttering for a moment in the windy sunshine, and then, with set purpose...the Armada passed out of sight, and we all went home."