The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-02
THE NEW REPUBLIC
u,,,r AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION is
NOW COMPLETE.
UNDER BRITISH AUSPICES.
r,cToRIA's MESSAGE TO THE COM
MONWEALTa.

Tbe Inauguration OF the New Com
moDYyeaIth Attended With Scenes
of Imposing PageanIry-The Earl
of Hopetoun Takes the Oath as the
First Governor General of United
AustraIia-1O,OOO Children Sing
"AustraIia Fair and "GOd Save the
Queen"
sydney, n. S. W, Jan. 1.-The Earl of
E4opetoun was to-day sworn in as the first
governor of the federated Australian col
onies. amidst scenes of pageantry such as
never before had been attempted in the
Antipodes. Scores of thousands of peo-
ple participated in the demonstration and
general joy marked the occasion. The re-
ioicing of the commonwealth was intensi-
fed by a message, which Queen Victoria
sent through the colonial secretary, Jo-
seph Chamberlain, and which was read by
the Earl of Hopetoun as follows:
The Queen commands me to express
through you to the people of Australia
Her Majesty's heartfelt interest in the in
auguration of the commonwealth and her
earnest wish that under divine providence
1t may insure increased prosperity and
well being of her loyal and beloved sub
1ects in Australia"
A procession moved at 10 o'clock down
the trooD-lined route toward the govern
rnent house. AS the centre of the process
sion halted at the government house the
Earl of Hopetoun in full Windsor uni
form, and wearing his orders, emerged
from the grounds in the state carriage
with positions and outriders, and in state
liveries Escorted by the New South
Wales Lancers, the governor general
drove past the remainder of the procession
and took up a position in the rear.
The governors arrival at the pavilion
was announced by artillery salutes and
the pealing of cathedral and other bells.
The various chief justices and cabinet
officers were awaiting him and as soon
as the Earl of Hopetoun took up his
position a choir of thousand voices sang
20, God, Our Help In Ages Past"
\ special prayer by the Archbishop fol-
lowed. After his commission had been
read the Earl of Hopetoun took the oath
of office and signed it at a table which
ndQ Deen presented Dy the queen. a
salute of q guns. the playing of the
national anthem by the massed bands and
rousing cheers re-echoing among the hills,
accompanied this act. The signature and
swearing in of the first federal ministers
followed.
The Earl of Hopetoun briefly congratu-
lated the members of the cabinet and then
read the Queens message, given above,
which evoked prolonged cheering This
was followed by a second message, as fol-
lows:
Her Majesty's government send cordial
greeting to the commonwealth of Austria
la. They welcome her to her pace
among the nations united under Her Maj
esty's sovereignty, and confidently antici-
pate for the new federation a future of
ever-increasing prosperity and influence.
They recognize in the long desired con-
summation of the hopes of patriotic Aus
tralians a further step in the direction of
permanent unity of the British empire,
and they are satisfied with wider powers
and responsibilities henceforth secured 10
Australia will give a fresh opportunity
for a display of that generous loyalty and
devotion to the throne of the empire
which has characterized the action in the
past of its several states"
Three cheers were given for the gov
fired Ten thousand pupils of the public
schools sang the hymn, Australia Fair,
and the proceedings were concluded by
the choir singing a TIE Deum, the "Halle-
lujah" chorus and God Save the Queen" "