The morning times., 1896-10-25

marine spectacle ever seen i'll the waters
OF Ills narDor TOOK pace tohlSht. ~
was magnificent display, participated III
by two hundred different crafts, ana VIII
Messed by an immense crowd OF people.
The event was the nautical 'Granu Fire
works Display, illumination and Marine
Parade" of the Shipping and Industrial
sound Money Association, i'll honor OF NC
Kinley and Hobart, and was the first
>ic demonstration OF its character ever held
hercabouus.
From One Hundred and Thrtieth street.
on the North River, Just above Grants
tomb, to Governors Island, off the Bat
terry, the flotilia steamed, every vessel in
gala attire. For an hour or more the air
was filled with flood of brilliant lights
and daZZling colors, sho wers rsofburningstars, OF
torrents OF golden sprays, batteries OF
colored candles and bombs, and, for the
time, night seemed TO have turned into day.
THE DISPLAY OF FIREWORKS.
The pyrotcchnic feature of the evening
was carried out on an elaborate scale. III
began with u salute OF lol aerial guns,
followed by an illumination of the harbor
with 500 coIored lights, an ascension OF
twenty-four balloons, with powerful mag
nesIum iieSts which lit up tie city; coios-
sal fire pictures Of Mckinley and Hobart,
'.umbrellas" Of fire, illuminated kites,
floating festoons Of fire; magical IL
lumInaticn of the harbor with chemical
compounds: the American nag uhfdried
in the sky in fire colors; submarine ex-
plos ions, grand fire boquets, and in
nun.cruble other devices which made the
spectacle inspiring and seemingly magical
i'll character.
The uignt was clear and cold when the
parade began its formation at Z O'Clock.
steam Gratis only participated. Tie fleet
was in four divisions, tie first in command
tf Rear Admiral Staples; second, Rear
Admiral DalzelI; third, Rear Adu.iral Moore,
and fourth, Rear Admiral Valentine; the
whole under command OF Admiral j. W.
Miller
These titles, of course. were political,
conferred .Jr the occasion.
The four divisions were composed Of four
squadrons, each squadron in command OF a
commodore. The admiral sstaff elaborate
innumbers was com posed OF representatives
of navigation interests, and Commodore
Michael Moran, a well -know wn vessel owner,
was in charge OF the flying squadron OF
seven speedy tugs
FORMATION OF THE FLEET.
The fleet was formed at the lower end
OF the Palisades above One Hundred and
Thirtietii street, tine iirst ana third diNis-
ions on the west side and the second and
fourth ON the east side OF the river. All
divisions formed in column Of vessels head
ing down stream.
The preparatory signal was fired from the
flagship at s p. m, and Immediately the
adnirars flagship and flying squadron pro-
ceeded to midstream. After short de
lay, amid the blowing of whistles and
flood of pyrotechnics, the parade started
The speed was six knots an hour, and to
| facilitate navigation and prevent accident,
| there WAS Il distance of 800 yards between
| divisions and 200 yards between squadrons-
WITH lO1 GUNS.
When the hea / OF the column was abreast
| OF Grants tomb the fireworks program
was begun, by salute of lol guns, fol-
| lowed by bombs. rockets, etc. The display
| was continued as the vessels fell into
| line, and as they passed down the river
| there were more fireworks from anchored
| IiatbUats at Weehawken, Stevens Point,
! Fourteenth street Hoboken, and the Bat
| tery.
| Every boat had its own supply of
pyrotechnics. too, and kept up continual
| hUulbardment along the route, which was
over eight miles in length.
The biggest display was AT the Battery,
where the most distinguished guests and
| the reviewing party were assembled.
| After passing the reviewing vessel, the
| laTgCr craft pissed around Governor : Is
| land. through Buttermlk Channel; the
| smaller Up the East River. keeping near
| Tue bTOohIUN sDOIt as lar Us East HlTtN-
| fourth street, the squadron being dis
| missed after passing the reviewing boat
| GREAT FIREWORKS DISPLAY.
| 1t was 9:15 p. IN. when the head Of
| the line reached the reviewing boat Aurora,
off the Battery. The arrival OF the fleet
| was greeted with grand fireworks demon
| stritIur. As each boat arrived she tool,
up a position opposite the jersey shore
and soon the waters in the vicunuy were
| alive with brilliantly lighted vesseI
| The trip duwnthe river wass picturesque
| one. The great flutilla reScmbied a big
city. Nearly every beat from tie saucy
| little tugs to the big twin-screw steam
| boats was Illuminated. some with elaborate
lines Of lights, which brought the
whole forms OF the vessels out in bold
relief.
Many piers along the river w.'re illuInin
atcd in artistic style, and the Jersey ferry
| terminals had their slips conspicuouusly
lighted. A number Of buildings near the
| water front on the New York side were
| in festive attire. 1t is estimated that oveI
| %, 700 persons were aboard the vessels
in the parade, and that fully 2Go,UGo were
| gathered along the river on the banks and
| piers from Grants tomb to the battery.
The steamboat Aurora, with members OF
the Republican National committee, Candi-
date Garret A Hobart and distinguished
guests, tied up at pier A, and those on
board reviewed the floating parade
Mr.. Hobart said after the steamers had
passed and the fireworks display had
ended. at was magnificent demon
s,ration. Nothing like it has ever been
seen heretofore in political campaigns"
The sIeamboats and other vessels in line
showed that lie shigring lrFcrtste are Tor
sound money, and the crowds on shore
and the number of buildings Illuminated
indicated Il general interest in the success
Of the Republican ticket.