The sun., 1895-05-19
OFF FOR THE KEEL FETES.
THE NEW YORk sAILS, AND THE CO.
LUMBIA TO START TO-MORROW.

Elective Lights and Patriotic Fireworks to
Be Displayed at tho Opening or the
north Sea and Baltic Canal Next Month.
The United States ore to DC we'll represented
in the great naval display mt Eicl next month.
10 which all the naval powers are TO send war
ships to celebrate the opening of the North Sea
and Baltic Ship Canal. The New York went
down the hay yesterday Just before noon on her
yoJnuo to Kiel. and at o'clock tomorrow af-
ternoon the Columbia will follow her. Tho men
on the Columbia are inclined to crow little
They say the New York nocds n two.any start TO
reach Southampton as soon MS tho Columbia.
Tho two vessels were detnnhcd recently from
the North Atlantic squalton, and they Will be-
como n pnrt OF the European squadron when
they report on Juno to Admiral kirkland. who
Is In command of that station. They will ro-
main two weeks Mt Southampton and then. with
tie san Francisco and the Marblehead, they
will 90 to Kic'.
The American naval officers felt a l!tt'o cha-
grincd at the Columbian celebration hero when
they noted the superiority In display equipment
OF many foreign vessels. and when the lticl fes-
;ivtties were announced II was decided that our
cruisers should be supplied with holiday a;tiro
and the means for spectacular merry making.
So Admiral Klrkland's four vessels at kiel will
shino with thousands of tncandesccns lights
Each will carry before and around tho pilot
house Nil immense shield. the red and white
bars and tho stars on the bluo ground heing re-
produced by electric lamps, ard VIII have her
name In large electric letters running around
her stern.
Tho New York had not been in dry dock for
some time. She was docked in Brooklyn. where
she ana the Columbia arrived on April rs. She
had her bottom scraped and painted. md was
got ready hurriedly for yesterdays sailing. Tho
electric equipment for the Kiel display did not
orr,,, Erl nft and a elect rio
company's employees and the ships men worked
until nearly nidnig ht to get the apparatus Tor
the shield adjusted and ready TOR trial, trial: nhe ,e
Commander Evans expressed his satisfaction
with it. The rest Of thy decoration was le,tto
vessels namo around her stern the men
Will string ineandescent lights along her
stem and stern from the water to the deck aud
along the deck raj! from end to end on both
sides. Lights will be placed along the water
the swash. thus outlining the huii. More lights
will be strung up the inasts and down the SIDE.
lies The smokestacks @ m ks w The Col Cnlnmbins advan,ago anita
over the New York in having four sniokestacks
q ss1 es G
arc to be set three feet apart, but at little dis
tance there will appear to be nnbroken lines @ OF
light. On the New York there will be about 2. 900
lights and on tho Columbia about 1000: The
finest electric display on each vessel will be the
feet each side or the pilot house. 1t will be
necessary TO turn of all the lights IN the ship
hns more power; she has four search lights to
the Colum bias two, and an extra dynamo was
given her on that account.
The New York. Columbia, San Francisco. and
Marblehead are to be treatbd alike in the mat
ter of the electric illumination. The New York
was to have carried the equipment for the san
Francisco and Marblehead yesterday. but she
sailed in too much Of II hurry. aud the Columbia
will take 1t. Crowds gave the New York part
ing cheer yesterday Many people desired to see
the Columb bia at close quarters As she lay at the
Cob Dock. well over toward Williainsb burgh, but
there was too much doing aboard her to leave
time fnr many visitors.
The New York carried over a supply OF fancy
fireworks, and the Columbia will take more
There are twelve dozen aquatic works of various
designs. fireworks to burn on the water, two
dozen float lights and three dozen four and six
pound rockets with floating festoOns and mag
nesium and prsInatc torrents. There are to
be four illuminate of thirty six lights each in
red, white. and blue. Set pieces will represent
the German and tho American arms. each Is
feet by II. There Is to be- grand fire pOr-
trait OF Emperor William. 20 feet by 20. and
on. OF President Cleveland. whose proportions
will he represented in the same space. The de-
+ gns for the fireworks were made in Washing:
ton. There are dozens of shells batteries, and
exhibition rockets of varied colors and effects,
am, there Is special motto in German text:
",Herzlicher Gruss an Deutschland Won den
Nerenigten Staten" t"Hearty greeting to
Germun ny from the United States".