Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-17
GEN. GRANT ON HIS TOUR.
An Old Sailors "reminiscences Of the
Generals Visit to his Flagship.

From the Kansas City Times.
''Well, you see, sir" began the gentleman
with the brown and wrinkled face II am
sailor by profession and at the time of General
Grants tour was a man-of-war's man on the
-, flagship of the European squadron.
Grant first appeared to our ships company in
Vile Franche, a little seaport on the French
coast between Nice and Monaco. 1t is the rem
devious of the American squadron in the Medi-
terranean and the storehouse for the feet is
established there. General Grants arrival had
been rumored for several days and all prepa-
rations had been made in his honor. Upon his
arrival. which was by carriage from Nice. the
admirars barge, which was in readiness at the
landing. received him and brought him aboard
the flagship, where he was received by Ad-
miral Leroy. After short visit the barge
took him back to the shore, saluted
as he left the ship by. twenty-one guns
and by the manning of yards by the men. This
salute is only to the highest Of personages,
such as the emperor of Russia or the highest
public functionary Of any state or nation, but
Grant received it everywhere and from every
nation he visited. This was the last we saw Of
the general for some weeks. Shortly after his
visit in Vile Franche-Sur-Mer which is the full
name OF the little post we left there for SMYRNA
to look after Americas interests at that place.
At that time the Turco-Russian war was in full
Dlast, ana every nation in Europe which had
any navy was represented at SMYRNA. Great
Britain had twenty-five or twenty-three sail
on the coast which we passed as we went up
the straits toward Smyrna, lying at their rem
devious in a bay whose name / have for
gotten. Within three days after our arrival
at Smyrna the whole British fleet came
In and took up their stations near us. The fine
harbor was beautiful sight to a sailor, con-
tanning, as 1t did. the men of war of nearly
every nation in Europe, with the exception of
Turks and Russians, who were of course busy
elsewhere. The French had six, the Germans
four, the Austrians and Italians four EACH the
Hollanders one little corvette, while the United
States was represented by five and all of Asia
by one little japanese corvette. Add to these
the twenty-five or twenty-three fine vessels of
the English navy. A few days after the ar
rival of the Englishmen a steamer
made her appearance early in the morning,
which was quickly proclaimed by our quarter
master as the Vandalia, one of our fleet, which
everybody knew to have been detailed for
special service, which special service was the
transportation of General Grant from
place to place as his plans or conven-
fences might call for during his stay in
Mediterranean. At about 8 o'clock she came
to anchor near us, and during the day a few
visits were made, but the visits of ceremony
were put of for day or two. On the day set
apart for the visits OF ceremony, of which the
officers of each nation were informed before
hand. the general came to the flagship and
from there started on his round of visits to the
admiral or commodore of each fleet or squadron.
As his boat showed off from the side of each
flagship the salute of twenty-one guns was
fired and the yards manned. Before the echo
of the last gun had died away our battery re-
turned the salute by firing twenty-one guns
As the general visited the flagship of each of
the fleets and as each saluted him, our gum
ners were kept busy returning the salutes.
The smoke became thick in the harbor as if
two line of battle-ships had been fighting for
half day. A few days later the Vandalia
and her noted passenger left and we
never saw the latter any more. Grant was a
communicating man anyhow and didn't look
like the successful general he was. He was
man of nerve, though. / know. at least, he
wasn't easily excited. He came aboard one
morning just at eight bells, when we were drill
ing masts and yards. That is exciting business
to the Onlookers as well as the actors. but it
didn't move a muscle of Grants face. He stood
there with cigar in the corner of his mouth
and watched as coolly as if he had been brought
up naval officer. OF course you think that
man who has directed the movements of vast
armies to a successful conclusion through a
long and bloody war, and afterward served two
terms as President of the United States, would
be unlikely to be excited by mere drill. But
the scene is so noisy and exciting and the APP
parent confusion so great that il would seem to
spectator as if the ship must be in some i'm
m M Hlv