Evening star., 1907-08-26

to agriculture thousands Of acres of land,
are engineering feats peculiarly American
in their scope. The bureau Of navigation
Of the Interior Department exhibits a fac
simile Of the second charter granted the
Clermont.
The National Museum here, administered
by the Smithsonian Institution MIR. Ra-
venel continued, 'is perhaps better adapted
to furnishing material for expositions such
as these than any other branch Of the gov
ernment service. Since the Bordeaux ex-
position is essentially a maritime one, We
have grouped our exhibit about several
series Of models illustrating famous steam
vessels and early American methods of wa
ter transportation.
Among the famous steamers that did
much to develop steam navigation are shown
models of John Fitch's car-propeled craft
that succ eeded In moving along the Delaware
river in 1877; of Fulton's Clermont the first
trip of which. in 1907, is celebrated by the
exposition, and Of John Stevens Phoenix,
the first steamboat to navigate the ocean,
launched only fifteen days after the Cler-
mont. The Phoenix steamed from Sandy
Hook to Cape May early In 1903. A model
is also shown of the Savannah, the first
steamship to cross the Atlantic ocean, and
Photographic reproductions of certain pages
Of her log book. which is in the National
Museum, add to 1t peculiar interest. The
Savannah's claim to fame was won in
1919. on May % Of which year she travelled
by her own power out Of the port OF Sa-
vannah, Ga. bound for England.
Navigation Series.
''The early American navigation series is
arranged geographically to show aboriginal
craft from Alaska to the Straits OF Magel-
lam The Eskimo kaiak and skin canoes,
Pacific dugouts, the birch bark canoes Of
Canada and the great lakes show how the
original Americans Of the north got about
on the water From the United States
come the hide coracle. or 'bull-boat, of the
Sioux used on the Missouri, made of skin
stretched over a crate; the canoes Of the
Virginia Indians, dug from a single tree
trunk, and the reed cane floats of the very
early Nevadans. Peru, Brazil and the
Amazon region are represented by ancient
three-log RATS, a sea-going raft of logs
with platform, cabin and sail, and a rough
bark canoe of single piece The Fuegian
bark canoe. frequently made in sections for
portage. illustrates far southern methods
of American navigation.
huiiiuci VI eISIdSluSS anu cOlleCtlOn
of publications, including the results of
original researches and expeditions since
the founding of the Smithsonian Institution
in 1916. complete this part Of the exhibit
Among the interesting exhibits loaned to
the government from private sources" con-
cluded Mr.. Ravenel, 'is the sounding ap-
paratus devised by the late Capt. Tanner
u.S.N., used for sounding at great depths
W at fin Tlo
property of NJ. Dallauf, and can record
depth of 600 feet
DR.. S. A. Daudelin of Worcester, Mass,
is the United States commissioner at the
exposition To Mr.. Dominic /. Murphy
United States consul at Bordeaux. great
credit is due for the success of the Amer
lean exhibit. 1t was by his advice and
under his supervision that the American
pavilion was constructed. Mr. Murphy
and Mr.. Ravenel have been given the title
of honorary commissioners.