Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-05-05

British Provincials Desire to Honor
the Head OF the United states Navy
at Port Stanley In July-The Ad-
miraTs Speech of Thanks.
Chicago, May 1.-Never in the his
tory of the great Auditorium has there
been within its walls a sight more
beautiful than that revealed last night.
when the great ball given In honor OF
Admiral Dewey was at its helght.
There was nothing wanting. 1t was a
decisive success from first to last In all
details, from the decorations on the
walls to the reception proper which
was rendered to the admiral. There
were present, perhaps, somewhat 100
many people to allow dancing In COM
fort, had all or half Of them cared 10
dance at one and the same time, but
when the dance program proper was
fairly under way the older people
sought the boxes and the spacious
foyer. leaving the floor to the younger
people, who used it until daybreak.
Fully 1000 people were present. IL
being a naval ball. the predominatlng
decorations were white and green. A
canopy was drawn over the hall, max
ing it resemble huge white capped
wave, the deep green at the bottom
shading softly into the purest white at
the topmost edge. At intervals around
the tiers of the boxes were placed white
galleons, which seemingly started from
10 - nd doll
electric lights which concealed them
few feet from the Prov, where dolPhins
rose from the imaginary sea below.
Above each galleon rose a towering
mast, bearing in relief lions head.
and fiuttering with the signal flags OF
the navy. Behind the fgurehead OF
each galleon stood a sailor, veteran
Of the Spanish-American war. who
saw active service in the Caribbean
sea. Until after the admiral left the
hall these men stood steadily peering
out over the prov of the fanciful and
beautiful ship. Long festoons of cleo
trio lights, marked alternately by yell
low lanterns and Japanese lanterns OF
many shades. hung from top to top OF
the great white masts extending around
the hall.
On the right and left of what is
usually the stage of the great theater
were erected platforms of honor, upon
the first of which the admiral and Mrs.
Dewey were seated. within handshak-
ing distance of those upon the dancing
floor. Upon the second platform were
seated Mayor and Mrs Harrison.
The doors Of the ballroom were open
ed at $50, and half an hour later the
reception committee, headed by Mayor
Harrison and Mrs. Arthur Cation, en-
tered and took their stand at the north
end of the hail. there awaiting the dis
tinguished guests.
AS soon as the reception committee
had taken position Admiral and Mrs.
Dewey entered. followed by a thrOng
Of less distinguished guests. 1mmedi-
ately behind the admiral came, with
their wives, the naval officers on duty
in Chicago and the officers of the
United States steamer Michigan. Be-
hind the navy came the army, headed
by Mai. Gen. James F. Wade and Mrs.
Wade. Officers of the signal service
followed and behind came Brig. Gen.
Charles Fitzsimmons, commanding the
First brigade of the Illinois National
Guard, and Mrs. Fitzsimmons.
At midnight the admiral and Mrs.
Dewey left the hall for luncheon in
their honor given in an adjoining room
by Hobart c. Chatfleld-Taylor, and
then after returning to the ballroom
for a brief interval he and his party
retired.
After an informal luncheon given
Admiral Dewey by the members of the
general committee in the afternoon a
delegation of Canadians called on the
admiral and presented him with
formal invitation to be present at a
reception to be given in his hnor at
Hill Terrace, Port Stanley, Ont, on
any day in July convenient to the ad
miral The invitation, which was
beautifully embossed and bound in red
Morocco, included among it's sigma
lures the names of Sir Alfred Laurier
and Sir Charles Topper
Admiral Dewey thanked the Can
adams very cordially for the invita-
ton. "Of all the evidences of good
will shown me since my arrival in
New York last October" said he,
"none has touched me more deeply
than this. We are of the same blood.
There is but slight difference between
us, and l want to say that the one man
who stood at my back during those
trying days at Manila was an English
man. But for his support and the
moral courage he inspired me with,
pened l refer to Sir Charles Sey-
mour."
The admiral said he was not pre-
pared to state offhand whether or not
be would accept the invitation. "Be
assured, however" he concluded, that
If | can possibly do so l will. and with
pleasure"