The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-06
Celebration of the Ter Centennial of
Jamestown Settlement Already Begun

| they called James On the 18th
day of May, 1907. they laid the foun-
dation for the great American repub-
| lie and TO this little village they gave
the name jamestown, in honor OF
their king The history of the strug-
giles of this infant colony, TO survive
the perils of hunger and OF internal
and external strife. is familiar to ev-
cry school boy and girl. Having over
come much and accomplished the pur-
pose of establishing d settlement,
precedent which was soon taken ad-
vantage of, the colony dwindled into
obscurity and for the past two hun
dred years its site has been one -
ruin and desolation. The waters of
the mighty James, with their ebb and
flow, made deep inroads into the
soil of the island and carried away
much of where was once the village
of jamestown. Only in recent years
has the government, very tardily it
must be confessed, taken the matter
somewhat in hand and erected a stone
bulwark or easement as a protection
against the further encroachment of
the waters.
OF such vast important to the his
tory of the world was this event that
the celebration of the three-hundreth
anniversary of the sailing of these YES
sells from England, on the mOmentous
voyage, was certainly as appropriate
as it was timely. From now until the
18th day of April, 1907, these three
vessels may be imagined as wandeis
ing upon the face of the deep, search
ing for an indefinite land wherein to
better their fortune but with no
thought of the mighty future. whose
curtain they were about to roll away
The browning event of the celebra-
tons already begun in enumeration
of this achievement, will be the grand
celebration which opens on the shores
and waters of Hampton Roads, April
%, near Cape Henry, where the col
onists first landeS. and opposite old
Point Comfort, whore they dropped an
Choir. jamestown, the logical spot for
such celebration, is about forty miles
up the river but it's deserted condi-
ton and isolation precluded all pissi-
bility of holding the celebration there
and besides the spot selected is one
which possesses far more of beauty
and accessibility than any other which
could be imagined Here in view OF
the spot where the Monitor and the
Merrimac had the famous battle which
changed the naval architecture of the
world, in few weeks will gather the
greatest fleet of war vessels ever seen
on earth. Almost every civilized ma
ton will berepre scented by its choi-
cest ships, it's most efficient officers,
it's best drilled men and, together VI tn
the best of our own land, will enter
into serial of practice drills, parades, |
manoeuvers and sham battles which
will be the admiration of the world.
The naval review and pageant "
grand, imposing and wonderful as it
will be, is but one feature of this most
celebration which it is
estimated will be witnessed by TWEEN |
ty millions of people. The military |
display will be participated in by the
soldiers of all countries, the troops
from each country being accompanied
by their own bands and music. The |
United States will have nearly five
thousand soldiers there. In addition
to these spectacular events, the in
dustrial and educational part of the
Will DS one Ol the HucSL /
ever seem The great and beautiful |
buildings now nearing completion, rep
re sent the outlay of millions of dol |
lars and what is still better, they are
permanent fixtures, for when the ex-
position closes on November so, the
City by the Sea- will not vanish as
a beautiful and pleasant dream, but
will remain to serve other useful and
glorious purposes for other years.