Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-05-14
Splentuf Of Flsel illumination and
Water Carnival Simply Bag
CARS Description.
WITNESSED BY IMMENSE THRONES
More Newport News People Journey.
cd to Boulevard and Out Upon
Pleasure Craft Last Night Than At.
tended openlng-cars Were Run.
ming Homcward Until Late Hour.

Thousands of brilliant electric
lights, outlining against the blucKncss
OF IL nioonlcss nig0t tho hulls, musts.
tunnels and rigging of eighteen great
American warships and ten fighting
craft OF five foreign navics. and II
wonderfully beautiful water carnival,
participated IN by some fifty brilliant
~ Illuminated floats, produced II
scene on the waters of Hampton RAIDS
last night that possibly will live for
ever in the memory OF the thousands
of people that saw 1t from the Bonle.
yard tho jamestown Exposition
grounds, Old Point and other places
OF vantage, aud from the decks Of
scores oi excursion and pleasure
craft.
For several days small army OF
sailors had been buslly preparing for
the illumination Of their respective
snips. and when the lights on the
vessels were switched on just as dusk
was descending over the Roads, the
effect WAS such ms 10 besgar drscrip
ton. To add to the beauty OF the
already wonderful sight, several OF
the warships began playing their
stt,archiights up lard down i;ie limo of
lighted craft and far across the inky
waters of the Roads.
Each of the America warships kept
a searchlight playing on the Stars
and Stripes that rloatcd from their
aft flag poles, producing II decidedly
unique and beautiful effect
Unique Floats.
Shortly after s o'clock there put
out from each of the wnrshins in the
Roads brightly lighted and unique
floats drawn by sturdy little steam
launches. Slowly the floats formed
in line and ut $40 o'clock thn water
carnival began. The carnival passed
in review between the lines Of the
american aud foreign walShipS, then
circling about. passed down between
the foreign ships and Inc Exposition
and then along the waterfront of the
Exposition.
The jack tars of the various ships
were tho prime movers of tho carni-
val and to them Is due the credit Of
| its success. For weeks each snip had
had Il committee at work on It's font
and the result was magnificent. Until
u short time before the carnival be-
gan no ship know what tho other
! ship would nave in line, and some
startling floats were shown.
All Sorts Of Designs.
There were bnrscs depicting the
landing OF the settlers at Jamestown,
an Indian viilaHs. Viking boats, Il
giant Jersey mosquito n huge sea
| serpent, caravrls that brought the
settlers over. and II terrible dragon,
! the latter entered by the Japanese
! cruiser Chi,osC.
The carnival lasted about an hour,
but all Of tic warships remained II.
Illuminated until nearly II o'clock, the
Argentine Republic training ship
Prcsedcntc Sarmiente Icing The last to
put out her lights. This vessel was
possibly the pretticst In line. She
Is rugged like Il bark and every mast,
yard arm and piece of rigging was
strung with dazzling lights.
Local People Turned Out.
1t is estimated that more Newport
News people saw the illumination
than attended the opening of the
jamestown Exposition. Thousands of
local people gathered on the Boulc,
ward where an admirable view OF the
entire fleet was to be had, while for
two hours very car going to Old
Point and Ivy avenue was crowded to
itSj capacity with sightscers. most of
whim took boats for ride down
past The fleets to Scwall's Point.
Several excursion craft took small
parties down the Roads from this
city, while the Chesapeake e. Ohio
ferry steamer Callahan and several