The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-11
Formal Delivery Of the Body Of Ad-
miraI John Paul Jones.
FOUNDER OF AMERICAN NAVY
Ceremony Was Ono of Great Dignity
Combined With Military ami Naval
Pomp-French People Show Much
Irteres. i'm the Event Exercises i'm
The American Church, Attended by
High Dignitaries.

Paris, July Gin the presence of
the highest dignitaries of France, the
diplomatic representatives of the many
foreign governments, and civil and IA
val officials of the United States, the
body Of Admiral John Paul Jones was
today formally delivered to the United
States government. The ceremony
was combining impressive dignity
with brilliant military and naval pOmp,
in which the soldiers and sailors Of
France and the sailors of America
united in rendering honors to the il
lustrious founder of the American
navy.
The occasion was unique and prob
ably without parallel, as the funeral
was that Of Il revolutionary hero who
had been neglected in a foreign grave
for over a hundred years.
Seldom has such an event awakened
such widespread interest in the French
capital. Dense thrOngs packed the
Champs Elysees and other principal
thOrOughfares to witness h imposing
cortege which for the e~labOrateneSS OF
its military feature equalled the mar
tial display on the occasion of the visit
of King Alfonso
The ceremony of delivering the body
was held in the American church Oh
the Avenue de L'Alma, at $3.50 O'Clock
i'll the afternoon. The interior of this
Gothic edifice was beautifully decOrat-
ed with plants and flowers. At the
! foot of the chancel rested the caSket
wrapped in an American flag, and lit
| orally buried in masses Of floral en-
blems.
At the right of the altar sat Ambas-
sador Mccormick, Senior Special Am
EassadOr Porter, Junior Special Ambas-
sador Loomis, United States Senator
I Henry Cabot Lodge, Rear Admiral
SigsDee and other officers of the Amer
ican squadron.
Across the aisle sat Premier Rou-
vier, with other members Of his cabl'
net, practically the entire diplomatic
corps, and officers Of the army and
navy. The members of the diplomatic
corps were IN full uniform. Scores Of
American sailors in the naves on either
side of the altar gave a fitting back
T; ground to the imposing scene.
After brief religious services, Gen.
l cIdl IOElcI, "edI1lS III NSS w
cording to the French custom, with the
red sash of the grand cross of the lie
zion of Honor across his breast, al
yanced alongside the casket and for
mally delivered the body to Mr.. Loo
mis-, as the representative Of the
United States government, who &C
cepted it in the name of the govern
ment and commissioned Admiral Sigs'
l.oo 70 t.,ncnnpt IL f0 the InifoC
States.
AS the surpliced choir took up IN!
Country IT'S of Thee" the entire as
sembla ge Joined in the strains of thu
patriotic hymn. Eight brawny sailor:
from the Brooklyn then stepped for
ward and raising the casket OF thelI
shoulders bore it slowly from tn
church to the waiting gun carriages
This was draped with the national col
Ors and was drawn by six blaci
horses.
The cortege was now formed an'
proceeded to the Esplanade des In
valides.
Arriving at the Esplanade an impos
ing picture was presented. The Frencl
government had erected a large paw
ion in which to deposit the coffin. In
PAVILION was richly hung with crlmsol
: velvet, with marital. emblems and ba'
: tie axes. entwined flags and a row Q
e brass field pieces along the front.
| The casket was deposited in the GET
ter of the pavilion while the cortes
= passed rendering military n
= LATER il was borne to the lnVallue
railroad station and placed In
n funeral car where. guarded by frenc
:, end American sailors, it started &c
!, C~berbourp at 10 O'Clock tonight.