The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-21
Both sides of the Big Ditch Lined
with Cavalry. Infantry and Thou
sands of Civilians.
CHEERS FOR THE FRENCHMEN
UNCLE SANS SHIPS ONE OF THE
FEATURES OF THE DISPLAY.
Emperor William. and Not the Canal,
tioh-Nlishaps During the Parade.

HOLTENAU. June 2O-with much pomp
and ceremony and with. 1t would also seem.
the great powers of the world through the
guns of their war ships saluting him. En-
peror William of Germany. to-day formally
opened the Baltic and North sea canal
he entered the western opening OF the
new waterway at Brunsbuttel, not far
from Hamburg. shortly after daylight. on
board the imperial yacht Hohenzollern. and
arrived pt the eastern opening OF the canal
here shortly after noon. There were three
mshaps. all OF a Slight nature. during the
passage OF the imperial procession OF about
twenty vessels through the canal. Both
shores of the canal were lined with cavalry
and infantry throughout the passage of the
procession, and every point OF vantage
along the route of the new waterway was
occupied by thousands OF people. Gay dec
orations were to be seen everywhere.
one of the features OF the day was the
warm and friendly reception given TO the
French gunboat Surcouf as she steamed
through the canal i'm the procession. The
French flag was cheered to the echo and
the bands played the "Marseillaise" the
French ship went by. Another good feat
ure of the celebration to-day was the din
ner given on board the Hoche. the French
tie ship Bayerne. who had entertained the
French officers yesterday. Upon the latter
occasion the German commander toasted
the French President at the same time as
he toasted the German Emperor. and re-
ferred TO the international feeling of COM
radery existing among naval men all the
world over. The French commander Ad-
miral Menard, at the dinner on board the
Hoche. responded with similar toast,
which was vigorously applauded. and so
the utmost good feeling seemed to prevail
on all sides.
In short. Emperor William appears 10
have most successfully engineered a
brilliant spectacle in which he. and not the
canal, seems to have been the central fg-
ure, and IL is safe TO imagine that this
was of the proudest days Of his life.
Last, but not least. it is pleasant TO know
that the ships OF the United States.
the New York. Columbia. San Francisco
and Marblehead. formed striking feature
Of the naval display. They stood out
grandly among the other war ships, their
white hulls cleaning in the sunshine. con-
trasting prettily with the dark hulls OF
the foreign war ships. and their smart APP
pearance causing them to be greatly ad-
mired by ALL
Emperor William has addressed an auto
graph letter to DR.. Carl Won Boetticher.
Prussian Minister of the Interior. in which
he says:
After the opening to-day OF the Baltic
canal feel myself under the necessity OF
expressing TO you my imperial thanks and
entire gratitude for the devotion and fideli-
" with which you have directed and pro-
NOTED the development OF this epoch-mark-
ing work of German industry i'm all its
stages AS a mark OF my good Will, / am
sending you my bust in marble. The sight
of this will ever remind you that my warm
thanks are your due for the signal services
you have so devotedly rendered TO my
grandfather and father. now resting in Gol,
and which / hope may long be preserved
both for myself and the fatherland."
The letter has caused much comment in
view of Prince Bismarck's recent severe
structures in an address TO an aggregation
of Agrarians, in which he referred TO the
''burrs which stick fast 10 ministerial
posts" and which was supposed 10 have
been directed against DIR. Won Boetticher.