The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-01
Much Significance Attaches to the
Jamestown Exposition
COMMEMORATE ENGLISH SETTLEMENT
THREE HUNDRED YEARS OF HIS
TORY WILL BE TOLD BY THE
TER-CENTENNIAL.

NORFOLK, Va, Jan. lon the
10Th day of December, 800 years ago,
there set sail from Blackwell, Eng
land. under the command of Captain
Newport, three vessels, the GOdspeed,
the Susan Constant and the Discovery,
the largest not exceeding 100 tons bur-
den This little feet and its 1O5 pas
sengers was destined to mark the be-
ginning OF the most important epoch
in the history of the world. The COM
mencement of their voyage was in
suspicious and its progress unhappy.
buffeted about on the great ocean for
six weeks before losing sight of the
English coast. 1t was after many
more weary weeks of travel ere they
saw land, the coast of Virginia, on
the 26rn day of April, 1907, and, to the
point first sighted they gave the name
of Cape Henry, and the peaceful place
where they dropped anchor they called
Comfort" which is the Old Point
Comfort of today. The beauty of the
scene about them greatly affected
them. and John Smith, one of their
number. was led to utter this senti-
ment: Within" says he, sis coun-
try what we may have the prerogative
over the most pleasant places known.
Heaven and earth never agreed better
to frame a place for mans habitation.
were it inhabited by Industrious peo-
Pile. Here are plains, hills, valleys,
rivers and brooks, all comprised with
fruitful and delightsome land"
Feasting Upon Oysters
After resting at Comfort" for sew
eral days and feasting upon the
oysters which they gathered from the
waters and the strawberries and other
early fruits which they gathered from
the land, they proceeded up the
mighty river, which they called the
James," and landed, May Is, 1907,
upon the island of jamestown, where,
as Smith again says, was chosen
very fit place for the erecting of
great city" In this Smith was mis-
taken, as later years proved the dis
advantages of the location and the set
Element never became much more
than village.
Thus was founded jamestown, the
first English settlement in the new
world the birthplace of the American
republic and the beginning of the land
of the free and the home of the brave.
1t was small commencement, but,
considered from the point of outgrow
ing results, it was one of the most
portentious events in all history. for
had the jamestown settlement failed
in its incipiency the pilgrims had new
er landed at Plymouth Rock, the
Dutch had never left their shores and
the United States of America might
never have been.
Nothing now remains of the pOmp
and pride of the once heroic village
but the UNCOVERED tower of the old
church and few resurrected ruins,
yet what hallowed associations cling
like the ivy about the crumbling ruins
Of the old church tower.
Mark Progress Of the World.
How appropriate, then. and how i'm
portant to all the people of the ma
ton and the world is the great inter-
national celebration to be held on the
shores of Hampton Roads. opposite
the Old Point Comfort of Smiths day,
beginning April 26. 1907, in commem-
grafton of the founding of Jamestown.
The jamestown Ter-Cenntennial will
mark the progress of the world from
remote antiquity to the present day
and will be the most educational ex-
position ever held.
Not only will the exposition afford
an opportunity to visit the scene of
the first settlement, but ,ne thousand
other places of beauty and historical
interest as we'll. Famous old York
town, Williamsburg, the great battle
fields of the Revolution, the war of
1912 and the Civil war, the historic
Fort Monroe and the mammoth navy
yards and shipbuilding plants, are so
closely related to the plan and scope
of the exposition as to be part of it,
The warships of nearly all nations
will gather with the squadrons of
Uncle Sam in naval pageant in front
of the exposition such as has never
been seen before in the history of the
world. On the land the best drilled
soldiers of the powers of earth will
drill and parade to the delight and edi-
fication of the millions, and the mag
nificent structures of the exposition
will TEEN with the products of indus
try and art and the hum and music
of progress will be heard on every
hand
Altogether such an opportunity has
never occurred before of witnessing
Silch ccQuQc Of hooufy amidst b;e@or;