Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-09-26
MILLIONS WITNESS SPECTACLE
New York Harbor and Manhattan Is
land Stage for First Days Perform
ance of Play, Which Moves on Up
River During Week-Picturesque
Climax.
(By Associated Press.)

NEW 4 OiNh, SSkl. -. AiShA
Hudson, who melted from view three
hundred years ago in those Attic
mists from which two American dis
coveres have but lately returned,
walked his quarter deck again today,
and in sea boots and plumed nat,
surveyed the changes aloit and lahore
that make his second visit 10 these
shores scarcely less memorable than
his first His reincarnation-or 10
be strictly accurate-his impersona-
ton today; the reproduction of his
ship, the Half Noon, and their TWEEN
tieth century tour OF seeing New York
are expressive of those recurrent
themes Of historical contrast and IN
struct;on by pageant in which the Gen.
trail idea of the Hudson Fulton Cele-
bration germanated. With New York
harbor and Manhattan Island for the
stage, the play opened today, for a
weeks run and will for another week
show at lesser cities and towns along
the route that Hudson travelled.
Fulton's name today followed that
of Hudson on the program as the re-
production of the Clermont followed
the reproduction OF the Half Moon
on the waters of the harbor.
Little Ships Lead Parade.
The two little ships, once so
weighty with achievement. made their
rounds today Of the warships assem-
bIed to do them honor with 1000
merchant ships and pleasure craft
trailing behind them in parade 10
miles long: saluted the national ana
the international flags of peace; were
officially received by the city and the
Hudscn-Fulton Commission this al
ternoon with the other visiting nota-
bles: and then tonight repeated the
course over a river white as day with
the glare Of the hundreds Of search
lights from on shore and afcat, be-
fore they anchored.
The easterly progress was marred
nv but one accident a slight collision
carly in the morning by which the
CIermon. lost little paint and the
Half Neon an anchor chain
The weather man made good his
oromise. At . O'clock this morning
rain had ceased TO fall. and dawn
brought a brilliant day Of intensely
blue skies scintilIating sunlight
c.,sorvative estimate tonight
places the numbers of those who wit
messed the naval parades today rom
the shores Of Staten Island. Long Is
land. Brooklyn. The Palisades anu
New Jersey at 100000.
Tho naval parade. though a little
late in starting due to the collision
~ the clermont and Half Moon. went
through substantially as planned with
c,,t further accident and in slightly
ana noble order The torpedo boats
submarines and naval auxila7icS leo
the way. followed bv the Half neon
and the CIermont. revenue cutters,
tugs ard lighters. merchsntment,
vachts motor boats. pleasure craft
ana such a feet Of excursion steam
ors as has never been seen before
Picturesque Climax
The day exercises cuirinateo VII"
tho presentation Il tho Half Nom
70 the commission ~ the Dutch en-
VOWS. This ceremony was formal and
furnished picturesque climax as the
living shade Of Henry Hudson. in vel
vet and ruff grsspcd the hand Of the
desccndcrf r. Robert Fulton. in small
ciofher and beaver hat
In front Of them sat the gold laced.
tcribhoncd and frock coated repre-
scrtafivcs of nearly dozcn nations
while behind thcm relied tho river
which carried their ancestors 70
fame. Md az they stood there on
The lefty hank with tho afternoon sun
streaming down urcn them. the thun-
der ~ tho guns n tho warships echo
% hack from the jersey hills and
far ID the river.
oHeisIdora Present
The assembly IN the REVERSING
ytand was su1 NJ piriurcsqrc ana bril-
FAINT irfcrnsfionalism BESIDE ihc
son,hre frock coats If the American
and Ispancse omciais there hashcS
nut fhe gold dress n The admiraia.
the rel fez Of the Turkish minister