The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-06-22
YESTERDAY BY EMPEROR WILLIAM
Who Afterwards Rovlewod tho
Floets OF tho Foreign Powora
The MOST BRILLIANT SPECTACLE
Ever Witnessed iu European Waters.
Tho Ceremonies Wind Up With q
Banquet on Board ship Patterned
Aftor n Scvonteonth Century Vessel.
Tho Reflection Cost $23,O0O-Tho
Emperor's Graceful speech.

HoLrESAu. Juno 2l.-En peror Will.
lam visited the Russian mOrod cruiser
RurIk at O:3O o'clock thia morning, and
subsequently laid the last stone OF tho
Baltic and North Sea canal in the pros.
once Of many thousands Of spectators.
The weathar WAS brilliant.
1hs cercinony OF laying the last stone
OF the canal took place in tho open uir.
The scene was enbsllishod by hand
soino designs In landscape gardening,
and tho lighthouse standing close to tho
spot showed relieia OF Emperor William
l., Frederick III. and William II. Un-
der tho relei medallion OF Emperor
William |. 10 black marble tablet. on
which Is engraved in gilt lettering: His
majesty, Emperor William J., laid tho
cornerstone OF thu Baltic canal on Juno
4, 1857, and accompanied his blows with
the hammer BY the words: an honor
Of United Germany, to her perfect well
faro, in token Of her might and power"
The lighthouse and the block OF ma.
sonry into which tho emperor placed
tho finishing stone were surrounded by
enormous scaholding rising in semi-
circle and afording seats ior about l5,-
900 people. In laying tho stone the ON.
peror said: "lm memory OF Emperor
William the Great, | chris,en this canal
the Kaiser Wilhclm canal"
His majesty then tapped the stone
three time. with mallet, saying: an
the name OF the triune God, in honor OF
Emperor William, TO the veal OF Ger.
many and the welfare OF nations"
The review Of the fleet began at 8 p.
m. The imperial yacht lohenzollern.
with the imperial family. king'. grand
dukes, princes and mayors OF the chief
cities, etc, on board, left her noorings
and at the same moment the crews OF
all the vessels in tho bar rbor manned
the yards or rails 10 their full strength,
presenting 4 grand spectacle. The
Hohenzollern proceeded slowly down
the line, tho emperor in an admiraps
uniform. standing alone on the bridge,
the crews OF all tho crafts IN the harbor
greeted his majesty with loud cheers
and the bands played Hell Dir Sieser-
kranz"
The greaI banquet which practically
wound up the ceremonies OF opening
the Baltic-N orth sea canal took place
thi. evening in the much discussed
structure representing the old German
warship Niobe. About 1000 guests par
,icips.cd in the entertainment, includ-
ing the diplomatic representatives OF
the various nations. The banquet hall
was fac sinile OF a huge vessel OF au-
cient construction as IN vogue in the
seventeenth century. The three masts,
each 100 feet high, were takeu from the
huls OF the Niobe and Getion, the earli-
est two vessels Of tho infant German
navy Of 1850. The browsprit formed
part OF the Moltke, another old vessel.
With tho two top masts added, the
total height of tho masts were
227 feet The whole structure was AS
feet long and 49, feet wide. The ban
que. hall measured S3t BY 81 feet
One hundreI and fifty arc lights fur
nished the illumination, and tho table
arrangements were entrusted to Borch-
ardt, OF Berlin, who receives S25 plate,
or about $4,000 in all, which sum in.
cludes wines, service and transporta-
ton. During the whole OF the festivi-
ties the naval orchestra OF tho second
German naval division furnished the
music. Tho French admiral, Menard,
sat on the empcror's right, and the Rus.
sian admiral, Skrydlod, sat on his left.
At tho conclusion OF the banquet til 0
emperor said: "It is with deligh, and
pride that look around this brilliant
aud fes tai gathering and in this name Of
my high allies bid you all, guests OF the
empire, heartily welcome. We cxpres,
our heartfelt thanks for the good feeling
shown towards US on tho completion OF
the work which was planned in peace,
aud in peace achieved, aud 10.
day opened to general traffic.
1t was not in our dav that
tho idea Of uniting tho North sea to tho
Baltic by canal was first mooted. Far
back In the middle ages we find pro.
posals and plans to carry out this under
inkiug, and in the l..t century the
Eidor canal WAS built, bearing glorious
testimony to tho productive power Of
t hat age.
"Bu. this was only intended for small
vessels and did not suffice ior present
needs. 1t was reserved for the newly
created German empire to complete the
great task. My ever lamentod grandia-
thor, William tho Great, it was who
rightly percciving tho importance oi
tho canal for the advancement OF the
national prosperity and tho strengthen.
ing OF our defensive power, was indo'
fatigable in giving his assistance to
promoting tho plans OF building q
thoroughly serviceablo waterway and
romoying the maniiold difficulties !u
tho way OF its completion.
1--WE havo not, however, lGbored for
own home interests alone. In con
formity with tho great civilization ol
| tho German people, wo open to the
peaceful intercourse OF tho nations, one
with another, tho locks OF this canal
and II will bo Il source OF joyful sa,is.
faction to US il its constant utilization
shall bear witness that tho intentions
by which wc have been gnidod have
not alono been understood. hut have
also proved fruitful in advancing tho
welfare OF tho peoples.
Tho participation in our iot1s OF tho
powers whose representatives wo eer
among us. aud whose spleudid ships We
to-day admire. / acknowledge moro
rcalily, rs bclievo am right in per-
coiving theroin tho complete vindica-
ton Of tho efforts We havo always di.
rected toward tho maintenance Of peace,
Germany will range tho work inHugu.
ratod to-day on tho sidr OF those accom-.
plishod in tho service OF poace. md vii
ostccm horscli fortunate II tho caunl ir
this sonso iur.hors and strengthens oIl
friendly relations with tho other powers
~ drain my glass to tho woliare o
| N, r,olIhy rnvornivn nnynraU