Norwich bulletin., 1909-09-27

New York, Sept. 26.-Brilliant sun
shine, sparkling harbor. streets a
flutter with bunting and throngs in
holiday attire. made Saturday. the
opening day of the Hudson Fulton eel
ebration, all that two years of prepa-
ration have promised. The progress
up the Hudson river of the Half Moon
and the CleTmont, faithful copies OF
the craft made famous by Henry Hud-
son and Robert Fulton, was attended
by demonstration meyer before wit
messed on the shores of New York and
New Jersey. Between banks crowded
with half the population of Manhat-
tan and the cities on the Jersey side,
past the pick of foreign navies, at
tended by the largest fleet that ever
gathered in New York waters.
Land Ceremonies Saturday.
The land ceremonies Saturday were
confined 10 a reception at the Waldorf
Astoria during the morning to the
flag and ranking officers of the visit
ing fleets and the diplomatic dele
gates to the celebration. Vice Presi-
dent Sherman, Governor Hughes. May
or Mcclellan and Joseph II. Choate,
former ambassador to Great Britain,
were the receiving committee.
Boom of Sunrise Guns Awoke New
York.
New York. Sept. 26.-The boom of
sunrise guns aboard the warships in
the North river awQkc New York yes
terday morning to the first dag OF the
celebration which honOrs the deeds of
The river which Hudson found and
on which Fulton set his steamboat
was the place toward which the eyes
of 5,Q0O,0e0 persons turned today for
the most impressive pageant that eper
floated in New York harbor
5,o0o,o00 Persons Saw Marine Page
ant.
Humanity speaking. the city Satur-
day was a shell. with probably two
thirds of it's population massed on its
water front. From the battery to
Spuyten Duyvil the slopin:- western
edge of Manhattan island afforded a
vantage ground from which 100000
spectators viewed the naval parade
that moved up and down the river
Two millions more lined the Jersey
shore and on the western water front
of Brooklyn facing the bay at least
half that number watched the gather
ing of this pageant in the waters be-
tween the mainland and Staten island.
rHslf Moon Bumps clermont.
An hour before the parade started
passengers on the vessels that were
near St. George witnessed an acci-
dent that for a few minutes kept ev-
erybody awestruci. The accident was
the collision between the limitations
of the two little vessels that made
Hudson and Fulton immortal. The
Half Moon at the time was on her way
to Stapleton, while the Clermont,
which had come up under her own
steam, was headed for her position
in the parade column.
The little vessels were nearin~ St.
George when the Half Moon. which
was dancing up and down on the
crests Of the waves. ran afoul of the
Clermont, smashing in twenty feet OF
the Clermont's port rail and damaging
her own bowsprit. The Half Moon
listed heavily to starboard and for a
few minutes the crowd that had wit
messed the accident thought the little
ship was about TO turn turtle.
At the time of the collision the sail
ors of the Half Moon were aloft set
ting her sails, which were TO be car
ried. even if she was in tow, while
the crowd on the Clermont was hav-
ing gay time commenting on the cos
tune OF this or that person on board.
For a few minutes following the ac-
cident the excitement was intense. but
II was soon seen that neither Nessel
was out of commission and that the
damage was not sufficient to keep
either of them out of the parade.
The accident was probably due TO
the fact that a stiff breeze prevailed
at the time, so that when the hawser
of the Dalzel was Stacked. the Half
Moon was thrown against the Cler-
mont. The sailors on the Half Moon.
when they realized the danger. did
some fast work. and managed to turn
that vessel about a few points. with
the result that the impact was a glanc-
ing one.
The Vessels in Parade.
Fifty-seven warships representing
the nayies of the United States, Great
Britain. Germany. France, Italy, Hol-
land, Mexico and Argentina-45O,0 900
tons of steel, bearing $4,000 officers
and men and armed with i,197 guns.
Copies OF the Half Moon and Cler-
mont so faithful In every detail TO the
original models that Hudson and Full
ton themselves would have been puz-
zled to tell the difference.
120 steamboats, and ferryhoats.
70 steam yachts.
rs motor boats.
a.