New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-13
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Marseilles six days only from Port Said. The rest
of Admiral Radiords squadron was in the same port,
and could not believe that not one ship could bs
spared to go to the Suez inauguration. A squadron
is useful in the Mediterranean If il has any use, to
impress sense of the force of the Republic people
with whom we have dealings. That service it could
have done nowhere well this week as at Port Said
The failure TO do it seems to have been due to knd
of ignorant indifference at Washington, anything
but creditable to the naval authorities there
For President Grant was Only invited, and duly
answered his invitation, expressing bis regret that
the laws and usages of his country did not permit
the sending Of special envoy TO represent him on
snch occasion, without the previous authorization
of Congress. As Congress not in session nothing
could be done. Nothing could have been added To
this except an intmation that the Admiral in COM
mand of our Mediterranean feet would be directed
to send or more vessels to Port Said. 1t is i'm
possible to say why so simple thing was not DONE
Somehow, it is always the simple things that get
left undone. The President was not careless
Of forms, for he answered the Khedive in his
own hand The Khedive could do 10 more
than he hadEdone. lie invites princes and
presidents, but not admirals The chief of our
squadron, Admiral Radford, was well enough aware
that of his vessels ought to be in Port Said on
the 10Th, but he waited orders. No orders came.
lUeT6 is AIltnIlC Odulc anu tcu WOiAo W w
ington would surely have brought the required in
struction. But the Admiral did not think it bis
duty to telegraph to Washington for such orders.
Beyond doubt, he had authority to send ship with
out orders but he declined to take the responsibility
The human race may be divided into those who will
take responsibilities, and those who will not. I'm
luckily, those who will not out of all proportion
to those who WILL and moro unlnckily still the Ad-
miral has to be classed with the former There
was Commodore John Rodgers in command OF tho
Franklin. He has the reputation of being one
Of the other kind. l almost wonder he
did not run off with his ship for the credit OF the
service l heartily wisbI ne had; he would have
earned STEP But there is no help for it. The hour
came and not the maD only too often before. MIR.
Hale Consul-General and sole representative of bis
Government, has not SO much as row-boat on
which to hoist his flag. lie is among the guests.
/ am, and perhaps fifty other Americans equally
powerless. Gen. Banks is here, under Russian
colors arriving from Odessa in frgate IL rightly
understood him. Who the rest of the fifty may be
have little notion. MI. Rugges. for one, have
heard Of and three or four journalists have seen.
The journalists are. doubt not, considerably more
useful than ships but for the moment they lcss
impressive to the imagination.
THE SCENE OF CELEBRATION.
Through all the cannonade the Guienne STORED
safely into her berth-only the cabin windows
broken. 1t was near noon. The days ceremony
was to begin at three-a ceremony of the 10th. and
not of the 17th but the true beginning OF tho inan
guration. Being eligious people, it seemed TO the
Turks that they would do well to begin with
prayers. On common days they have them-how
many times is it, iiyef Then to-day there wound he
six. And we had Port Said to explore. the whole of
this new world to see. l will confess that for my
part saw little of the town except so much OF It ~
French Empress-worship has chrstened Qnai
Eugene. On the side of tho sea the long
barrackke buildings stretch for perhaps
three-quarters of o mile. plank caIse-
way, covers the deep, soft sand The
shore is some hundreds of yards distant. Between
the buildings and shore sand and pools OF water.
| Landing at wooden quay, you pass under eaIly
painted ARCH Flags everywhere. All along tho
| causeway all about the encampment at tho end
where two Egyptian battalons are dwelling IN tents
and all the roefs of the houses rise poles crescent
| topped, from which hang oriaammes in many hues,
and many of light gauze the effect of which is deli
cate and graceful in the extreme. Midway and mid
| way also between buildings and the rests the
group of three pavlions where to-days ceremony is
to be performed. Over each q cluster OF hags, the
crescent always in the center, and always surmonDt'
ing every decoration.
The central kiosque is carpeted, and filed with
divans and gilt chairs, looking il they had come
from the opera house in Paris, but which in fact
came from the Viceroy's yacht The other two
kiOsques-f that be proper name-are in rear of
the center further toward the That to the right
is mosque, extemporised for the day. That to tho
left is Catholic chapel, equally eXtempOriscd and.
oddly enough, the crescent on is top also. The
architecture does not precisely Oriental; might
be described of the glt-gingerbread sort; and Il
Won had anv doubt of its Partisan origin the doubt
disappears at the sight of the myriad Chinese Ian
terms. This is not yet the true East Only sea- and
air. and sun are of the Orient Marseilles and Paris
and the navy-pards of Europe, have contributed tho
rest All the same the effect, if little theatrical is
brilliant and the ornaments which are to serve but
for day need not be solid
EGYPTIAN SOLDIERS.
Port Said itself is solid enough. Holds 5000 people
and more they say. The barracks are not barracks,
but buildings much more NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Offices,
storehouses, warehouses; hotels restaurants casinos;
the largest building of all fronting tho basin is the
great Office of the administration of the Canal Com
pany. The material is wood concrete, and plaster;
no attempt in these at display, and few none
than two stories in hight. plain. business.like
looking place, in common times, would say. 10
day it is not easy to tell which is real and which viii
disappear tomorrow.
There was not time 10 see the real wonders Of Port
Said switch has something better than painted May
poles and paper lanterns to show. The world has
far more wonderful workshops than this H. or was.
for here is the place where the great engines and
chimes of all sorts have been either made OF put to-
gether on arriving from Europe. None of these
saw. With some friends wandered up and down
the causeway till the crowd began to thcken and
the time for the procession drew The two