Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-07

harbor, the possibilities of from one
to half dozen ships of war being in
the fort are to be reckoned on. The
first intimation from signal station
OF foe in the ofing would stir the To-
cal military and naval authorities to
a demonstration of their best activities
and resources. Without, however, an
ticipating results that an advanced civ
ilization ought not to entertain as
means of settling international dis
putes, let us confine our story to de-
scription and to narrative.
When the admiral of the fleet ia in
port he sometimes occupies the cabin
of his flagship This edifioe is large
and commodous, although architectu-
alp unpretentious. residence situated
on rising ground some distance direct
ly west from the dock yard, but with
in hail by signal if necessity requires
it. The old building has every con-
venience for social functions and has
been The scene OF many a fashionable
gathering OF the military dons OF the
garrison, the consuls of the port, the
judges of the higher courts, and the
select few OF the aristooracy of the I'M
titled people who can trace their line
age back to the American loyalists who
had deported themselves to Halifax,
rather than fight against King George
of England
English History.
A little bit of history just here-Eng-
fish history if you will--although quite
Colonial in it's affiliations.
The first landing place of the Prince
OF Wales, now King Edward VII on his
visit to America, was at the dcckyard
at Halifax. 1t was a gay day for the
city. The correspondent Of the Lon.
don Times said that the town from the
water, looked like a bed of tulips, so
universal had been the display OF the
British flag from the housetops Of the
citizens. The Marquis of Normandy
was at that time governor of the prov
ince, and the government house was
made comfortable resting place for
the royal guest The marquis and
marchioness had the reputation of or
dinarily being royal entertainers, and
1t may be believed that they did not al
low this characteristic to weaken on
this occasion. The citizens were pre-
pared to do some entertaining on their
own account, and the ball given at the
provincial building Tin it's day said to
be the finest public ediilce in all Cana
da) was function such as had never
before been approached in magnifl-
cence in any of the British colonies.
Conditions We're favorable Wealth is
abundant in Halifax in its West India
merchants, its bankers and its proper
ty holders. On an event of this kind
the services of the officials Of the ar
my and navy would be at the dispos-
al of the city and in effective help this
is beyond any monetary value Few
realize what sources of decoration lie
hidden in the warehouses of the differ
ent governmental departments of
garrison town. The ball not only salts
fed all who had any part in insulting
it but the prince gave evidence that in
all its appointments it had been a.
source of great delight to him. The
representation of the beauty of Nova
Scotia were there and the prince was
then what the king has since become
a pronounced admirer of female lovli-
ness. The majordomo, whom the
queen delegated to accompany her son
on his journey, was present at the ball
and when the dancing had been kept
up until O'Clock in the morning, the
prince had to receive gentle reminder
that the hour up to which the heir to
royalty might with propriety continue
to dance had long since passed. The
light hearted boy merrily ordered his
carriage, expressed his regrets at pars,
ing with such congenial company, and
amid fuss and feathers" but with
auietest honors he rode back to the
shelter Of the so-called government
house
One other story belongs here-that
of the Duke of Kent and his lodge at
Bedford Basin. He was the grand
father of the present King Edward,
the father of his royal mother, Queen
Victoria.
Queen Victoria's Father.
Leaving wharf near that of the
celebrated Samuel Cunard, founder of
the great line of ocean steamships
which bears his name, you can go on
a unique little steam ferryboat to Bed
ford Basin. On your way up the har-
Dor you would be attracted by anoth-
er piece of John Bulls property-the
largest and most substantial building
of its kind used for the housing of the
local garrison. AS you near the basin the
shores contract and you pass through
the narrows into magnificent sheet
of water some nine miles in length and
yearly as wide. There are no fortifi-
cations inside the basin. Passing
through the narrows and swinging in
toward Birch Cove, you come upon
what must have been to both the
young Prince of Wales and later to
his son, Prince George, quite hallowed
ground--the princes lodge. The name
sill a1hcres to the Place, although
there is nothing there now to remind
you of the CHEEKY place it once was.
The edifice has long Since disappeared,s
and only the crumbled stones of the
foundation remain to show its former
location. Completely EMPOWERED in
forest of evergreen trees, with only