PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 75

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

THE HUDSON-FULTON CELEBRATION. We have heard a good deal during the last two or three years about historical and industrial) pageants, and I am going to tell you a little to-day about one of the latest, the Hundson-Fulton pageant in New York and on the Hudson. Knowing that- I favour teaching history and geographv from newspapers, trade journals, reviews, etc., a friend sent me, the ether day, the Exporters' and Importers' Journal (New York), which opens up with what is called "The World's Greatest Historical Celebration." American papers are famous —perhaps notorious is a better word—foT headlines; indeed, headlines often contain all the news in tabloid fashion, .so we are not surprised to read that this celebration is described as " Two weeks of continuous festivity throughout the Empire State—Participated in by the largest armada of warships ever assembled in times of peace—New York -city bathed in electric lights and floating flags." Now, after this rather imposing and long introduction let us come down to prosy fact. Who hasn't heard of Hudson's Bay and of Hudson, who by mutineers was turned adrift in an open boat and never heard of again? But the simple fact that, in his efforts to discover a north-west passage to India and China, he, in his little vessel, the Halfmoon, sailed up the Hudson River in 1609, six years after Queen Bees died, is somehow not very often referred to. He left, a disappointed man, but his jase is only one of numberless instances where a man has had no conception of the magnificent results to follow a modest bit of work. To-day Hudson's navigation of the river named after him gives us New York, one of the greatest commercial centres of the world, and a- centre which has not yet reached its zenith of position. But another man is being honoured at the same time, Robert Fulton, whose little Clermont just a hundred years paddled its way up the Hudson, noisily, no doubt. The crowd laughed, as it often does at the work of genius, but to-day he is bracketed with Hudson, the tercentenary achievement of the one bein<r celebrated with the centenary achieve" ment of the other.

Only twice, says the article, has there been assembled a larger armada of warships ; the recent rendezvous of Britain's fleets in the English Channel—that was when the Press Conference was entertained, I suppose,—and a similar massing of Germany's warships at Kiel. (In parenthesis, Jet me note here that Germany intended sending a most- imposuag fleet, but received intimation tha,' it wasn't wanted. Germany wants very much to win the close friendship of the United States. This, of course, isn't in the article I have mentioned.)

The celebrations ia.stec 1 from September 25 to October 9. and the first week tkbs

devoted to festivities in the city. Tw% millioTiiS of strangers poured themselves into the city. " Every house was covered with decorations, and the streets were one mass of emblematic glory." In the series of processions in the city and up the river, every phase of historical development, froan the days of the Indians to the present, was represented. There were Indians, Dutch, and colonials, tableau*! showing the capture of New York from. the Dutch, scenes in the American War of Independence, wigwams and skyscrapers, snow-shoes, canoes, waggons (prairie schoners), etc., up to motor cars, and so on. But perhaps one of the most interesting scenes represented was the purchase of Manhattan Island from the Indians for 24 dollars-! One of the series was a military procession six miles and taking three hours to pass by a given point. In this moving panorama was a battalion of British sailors, headed by the and of the Inflexible. We are told tha f . " a volcano of applause poured its roar " over our Jack Talis, butt that " ?vea greater was the ovation that greeted Germany's sailors." America, of course, always supplies the biggest things on earth —except volcanoes, though a tourist said that if they hadn't the biggest volcano they had a river that could put it out! Well, it was quite natural that in the procession there should be th® largest flag ever seen. This was the Star* and Stripes flag, carried by 150 men, and measuring 100 ft by 60ft. " The procession up the river was equally; fine and imposing. There was a replica of the Half moon, presented by the Dutch Government, towed, however, by a modern steamer; and paddling away and drenching the crew with water thrown from, the floats followed the copy of the Clermont. Both w-°re manned by mendressed in the quaint customs of theiff time, and on the Clermont were some of the descendants of Hubert Fulton of a hundred years ago. What an object lesson —the Half moon, the Clermont, a navy represeintiurr anvthing from a submersible to the Inflexible, and a mercantile fleetscaling up to the Mauretania. What a spectacular display, to.' at night, when the ships shot searchlight pencils of light in all directions, and were outlined with traceries of electric lights in gold and' silver, which rippled and twinkled on the waters. » To me one of the most interesting of the fortnight's celebrations is the historical display made by half a million children. Each of the forty-six school districts " had its own parade and round of ceremonies, but all adher-ed to ono general plan, *?o that- the celebration was identical" in- all the parks." If you can, get the ExDorters and Importers' Journal for last October, and vou will see there a long ilustrated article, from which I have taken some of what in in this Chat: get. too, if you can, the Sphere, October 26. for in it there is a page if illustrations dealing with the same pageant. A new year has commenced, and I wantto make a sugg-etion to teachers and senior pupils. Most of you can get trade iournals from some Dunedin merchant. TXse these to learn commercial geography from. The journal I have used to-day is chock-full of it for those who know how to use it. One page contains a. list of goods exported to Australia and New Zealand, every expert being'given ri detail; another details export*- to South Africa ; and a third the exports to other parts of the world. An hour spent in working out these lists and another in making lists of our imports and exports would be well spent, especially if a contrast he drawn between what the United States export and what we export; and the general principle is easily seen, that a newly established country exports -raw products, which diminish in quantity a& the country develops. If to these trade iournals you add, say the Sphere, the New Zealand Year Book, a Daily Mail Year Book, fh Shipping columns of the Otagio DailyTimes and the cables and ■ commercial articles in the Witness, you. will keep yourselves , fairly un to date, and will have a larger outlook. Try. I know that many will say that they cannot afford these things'. True. But why not make up your minds by co-operation, to give a reavly entertainment, the proceeds of which are to be devoted to V.'ese, the school library, and school apparatus, apart from what it is the duty of the committee to supply? Try this* coo.