The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-20
] A NAVAL PAGEANT
ESCORTS THE VESSEL BEARING
FRANCES GIFT
To the Island Home Of the Colossal God
dess-whiIe Booming Cannon Thun-
ders Forth Noisy Welcome
Reception and Speeches.

New YoRK, June &c. Flags were waving
Friday morning from the tops of the princi-
pal buildings throughout the city in honor
Of the formal reception Of Bartholdi's statue
of nLiberty Enlightening the World.
The shipping along the river front
and the vessels in the harbor were gaily
decorated with flags and bunting In
honor OF the event One of the most no
ticeable displays was that at the pier of the
French Transatlantic Steamship company
wharf, which was fairly covered with the
flags OF both France and America, grace
fully entwined The weather was warm
and clear, with a cooling breeze. The early
trains brought thousands OF strangers from
the surrounding cities. and Broadway and
the streets adjacent thereto were thronged
with people in holiday attire, vending their
way to points from which good view OF
the military and civic parade attending the
reception of the statue could be witnessed.
The harbor presented beautiful appear
ance studded with white sails OF nnumer-
able yachts and numerous excursion boats,
crowded to the guards, awaiting the NOV
ing of the naval procession
Shortly after 0 o'clock the mayor, the
president Of the board of aldermen, the
municipal officers, the members of the re-
ception and other committees embarked on
special steamboats, and proceeded down
the lower bay to the lsere. Arriving along
side of the vessel, they boarded her.
and at once paid their respects to-
the commander and officers, and the
mayor, acting as spokesman, babe them
hearty welcome to New York The mayor
then rendered them the Inequalities OF the
city, and invited them to formal recep-
tion at the city hall in the afternoon. After
the interchange of a few remarks the mayor
and city officials withdrew, returning to the
steamboat, which at once swung off and
took up position within few hundred yards
of the lsere.
At II o'clock the fort at Sandy Hook
Numbered forth a salute to the French flag
which was shortly after followed by signal
from Commodore Chambers vessel notify
| ing the vessels to form in line for the naval
parade. The vessels fell into line as follows;
The United States steamer Dispatch, with
| Secretary Whitney and Commodore Cham
dlsr and staff on board; United States
steamer Powhattan, Capt L. A. Beardslee;
| United States steamer Omaha Capt.
| Selfridge; United States steamer Alliance.
Lieutenant Commander Durand; the French
| flagship LAHORE, Admiral Lacombe; the
| French transport Isere, Commander De
| Saune; steamboat with the statue commit
| tee on board; steamboat with mayor and
| aldermen Here followed a feet OF yachts
Of the American Steam Yacht club, among
them Jay Goulds Atalanta, and the phe-
nominal yacht Stiletto ..
In this position the vessels steamed slowly
up the bay, receiving salutes from the forts
at the narrows. Fort Columbus, Castle
William, Fort Wood, and other batteries in
the harbor These were replied to by the
French flagship LAHORE and the United
States vessels, while hundreds of steam
whistles sent forth blast after blast The
noise at times was deafening.
On arriving at her anchorage at Bedloe's
island the Isere received a salute from the
guns of the United States training ship
Minnesota, detailed for duty at that sta
ton. This was also the signal for the
breakup Of the parade. The officers of
the French flagship and those Of the
Isere were then conducted to the island on
the steamboat chartered by the American
committee, where they made short inspec-
ton of the work now in progress on the ped
estaL On the landing of the French naval
officers at the island the "MarseiIlaise" was
sung by over 500 voices, composed OF mem
bers of the various French societies of New
York and Brooklyn.
At its conclusion the bands engaged for
, the occasion played several French and
| American airs "HaiI Columbia" and lib
erty Enlightening the World" composed by
| Gounod, were then sung by the members OF
the singing societies, and the ceremonies were
| concluded by the firing of salutes from the
forts and war vessels. The French officers
were then escorted on board the reception
committees steamer and landed at the bat
terry, where carriages were awaiting them
and procession formed, and marched NJ
Broadway to City Hail park, where it wa.
! reviewed by the mayor and French guests
FORMALLY WELCOMED.
After the review the guests were formally
( Welcomed in the aldermanic chamber IN the
= city. Speeches were made by Mayor Grace
e Mr.. Frederic r. Condert, the orator of the
? day, and others. At the conclusion of the
addresses, the French singing societies
rendered several appropriate selections
. after which collation. was served in the
governors room. This ended the ceremonies
, of the day, which passed off without til,
slightest hitch of any kind, OF anything cal
/
The French officials express themselves a
+ greatly pleased with their reception
; Mayor Grace's speech to the visitors wa
! as follows:
s OF the many causes which, during the las
n century, operated in awakening the people
a of France, that burning desire for liberty
which was to set all Europe ablaze, and
S which finally found organized expression il
d the constitutional assembly of 'S9, tive
were prsdominent-one was the lit
q erary influence exerted by schoo
of writer's, whose fierce blows shool
), to its foundation the fabric OF absolutism 81
Il strongly reared by Louis XIV, and founC
I an echo on this side of the ATLANTIC in tn,
teachings of our own Jefferson AMI Frank
. | lin; the other was the example set by tht
= New World in their successful struggle
Y against the same absolutism which
!, the English king sought to per
:, | petuate over the colonies The storie
told by our allies on their return
o of the brave deeds done and the difficultie
0 overcome in the cause of liberty wer
eagerly listened to, and an enthusiasm wa
- aroused which added the point and meaning
:, Of practical demonstration to the specula
O lions of French philosophy. From tina
time to this the bond of sympathy which
V united the two peoples, has never weakened
Washington and Lafayettei Their name
, stand for all that has been highes
q and noblest in the political history of cen
IS turtles In the person of Lafayette wa
| embodied the spirit of revolt against tn
system of government of the past; in tina
OF Washington the spirit of hope for tn
future-a future Of freedom which was +
n bring peace and prosperity to millions the
d unborn. while in both were unitsd tina
n holiness of purpose and unfiinching courag
~ in the face of difficulties which are the in
dislsnsable requisites of greatness.
The splendid gift of the French people
e which you have brought to our shores,
4 therefore deeply significant 1t is a plodg
y of the present existence of those friendi
relations which mark the CON
l. mon history of both nations /
q the past, and il a pleas
70 ant augury of their continuanc
in the future. As it is to France, an
through France and the United States ths
;, the spread of popular government in EuroI
d Is largely due. so it Is but appropriate tha
q an enduring monument at this gateway {
y the worlds commerce should remin
= all the corners of the fact an
- the artist has caught the inspiri
D ton Of history. Tue conception
C liberty enIiphteninp fine world is deaDl