Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-25
A MARINE PARADE.
NEW THING UNDER THE MOON AT
NEW YORK CITY.
NAUTICAL FIREWORKS DISPLAY


NEW YORK, October 2L-The most
unique marine spectacle ever seen in the
waters u this haibor took place tonight.
II was a magnificent display, participated
in by 200 different craft. and Witnessed
by an immense crowd Of people. The
event was the nautical grand fireworks
display, illumination. and marine pa
radc' Of the Shipping and Industrial
Sound-Money Association in honor of Nc
Kinley and Hobart and was the hrst
demonstration Of its character ever held
hereabout.
From l5Oth street, on the North river.
just above Grants tomb, to GOVERNOR
Island, of the Battery. the hotilla steam
ed. every vessel in gala attire. For an
hour or more the air was allied with a
food Of brilliant lights and dazzling
colors. showers Of stars. and torrents OF
golden sprays, colored candles and bombs
and. for the time. night seemed to have
been turned into day.
The pyrotochnic feature OF the eve
ming was carried out on an elaborate
scale. IL began with a salute OF lOl
aerial guns. followed BY an illumination
of the harbor with colored lights, an
ascension of twenty-four balloons, and
powerful magnesium light, which lii W
the city; colossal hre-picturcs of McKin-
les and Hobart, umbrellas" OF fire. IL
Illuminated kites, floating festoons of fire.
magical illumination of the harbor with
chemical compounds; the American flag
unfurled in the SKY" in fire colors, sub
marine explosions, grand fire bouquets,
and innumerab.c other devices, which
made the spectacle inspiring and seem
ingly magical in character.
The night was clear and cold when the
parade began its formation, at Z o'clock.
Steam craft only participated. The fleet
was in four divisions, the first i'm COM
mand Of Rear-Admiral Staples; the Sc
cOnd, Kear-Admiral DalZen; third, Rear
Admiral Moore, and fourth, Rear-Admiral
Valentine, the whole under command OF
Admiral j. w. Miller. These titlos, OF
course, were political, and conferred for
the occasion. The four divisions were
composed Of four squadrons in each, ana
each squadron was in command of a
commodore. The admirars staff. elabo-
rate in numbers, was composed Of repre-
sentatives of navigation in this harbor,
and Commodore Michael Moran, a we'll
known vessel-Owner. was in charge of o
dying squadron Of seven speedy tugs.
THE FORMATION.
The feet was formed at the lower end
Of the Palisades. above 13Oth street. the
first and third divisions on the west side
and the second and fourth on the east
side of the river. All divisions formed in
column, heading down stream.
The preparatory signal was fired from
the flagship at p NJ, and Immediately
the admiral's flagship and the flying
squadron proceeded 10 midstream. After
a short delay, amid the blowing of
whistles and a flood Of pyrotechnics, the
parade started. The speed was six knots
an hour, and to facilitate navigation and
prevent accident there was a distance OF
200 yards between divisions and 200 yards
between squadrOns.
When the head OF the column was
abreast Of Grants tomb the fireworks
programme was begun by salute of l0l
guns, followed by bombs, rockets etc.
The display was continued as the vessels
fell into line. and as they passes down
the river there were more fireworks from
anchored flat-boats at Weehawken.
Stevenss Point, Fourteenth street Ho-
boken. and the Battery Every boat had
it's own supply of pyrotechnics, too, and
kept up a continual bombardment 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. Al
ter passing the reviewing vessel. the
larger craft passed around Governors Is
land, through Buttermilk channel. and
the smaller up the East river. keeping
near the Brooklyn shore, as far as east
Thirty-fourth street the squadrons being
dismissed after passing the reviewing
beat.