The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-10
THE ADMIRAL LUNCHED
THE COTTON EXCHANGE ENTER
TAINS THE NAVAL OFFICERS.

| Exchanges welcome to the Admiral
and His Officers and the Admiral'e
Reply.
Admiral Gherardi and the officers OF the
North Atlantic squadron were entertained
at luncheon yesterday at noon at the cot
ton exchange. There was present large
representation Of the members Of the cot
ton exchange and leading business men OF
the city aud public men generally.
Admiral Gherardi and his officers arrived
in carriages, accompanied by President
Minis of the cotton exchange, the president
and secretary of the Merchants Week AS
ISOLATION and the members of the entertain
ment committee. They were escorted to
the upper room Of the exchange, where a
committee was waiting to receive them.
AT the same time the doors of the main
room Of the exchange were thrown open to
the guests.
A few minutes later the guests of the oc-
casion entered. Admiral Gherardi on the
arm OF President Minis, Capt. Crownin-
shield OF the Kearsarge with Gen. Lawton
and the other officers with members Of the
cotton exchange and the committees.
PRESIDENT MINIS WELCOME.
The guests and members ranged them
selves around the room and President Minis
called the assembly to order with a sharp
rap of the gavel. He made the introduce
| tory OF the occasion in the following brief
and appropriate address:
Rear Admiral Gherardi and Gentlemen OF the
Navy 1t affords ne much pleasure, as repre-
resentative of the leading commercial body IN
Georgia, to welcome you to our waters. This
community has always had the greatest SYM
pathy for the navy of our country. and,
although the national government Of recent
years has not seen fit to provide ships, the so
has provided men, and In this respect can say
we excel any other maritime power in the civil
lied world. This community feels proud of
having furnished your branch Of the service
commodore Iattnali who here was born and here
died. can only reiterate what he said at the
mouth OF the Pei-ho, BLOOD is thicker than
water. statement in which every member of
this exchange concurs. Members of the ex-
change, ask you to drink to the health OF
Rear Admiral Gherardi and officers of the
United States navy.
The champagne oorks were popped and
after the glasses were filed, President
Minis said: Gentlemen. l propose the
health OF Admiral Gherardi and the officers
OF the United States navy" The toast was
drunk standing.
THE ADMIRAL's RESPONSE.
Admiral Gherardi said: MIR. President
and Gentlemen of the Cotton Exchange and
Merchants of Savannah, your president in.
life. II can do as well / shall be fully
satisfied. In returning my thanks to you
for this occasion and our hospitable recep-
ton In the city, | can say it was with a great
deal OF pleasure that we received the order
to come to Savannah.
Admiral Gherardi made an impromptu
but thoroughly appropriate address. He
first referred to Commodore Tattnall, un-
der whom he served when he first entered
the navy, as one of the brightest contribu-
tons to the navy of the country, and who
was furnished by this state. He related an
incident Of the Lopez expedition, in which
many Americans were enrolled when Com
modore Tattnall and his squadron were
ordered to Havana to protect American
| citizens there, showing the courage aud de-
termination of Tattnall in the face of
danger.
THE NAVY AS 1T IS.
The American navy now as then, he said,
possessed the personnel Of men of the stamp
| of Tattnall.
"We realize now" he added, "rhat the
| navy has got back to the point where 1t was
forty-tive years ago. when that gentleman
referring to Capt. J. r. #. TattnalD was
member Of the service, when we had not
the greatest navy in point of size, but the
best. We do not want very large navy,
but we do want at least 100
armored and unarmored vessels of
the various existing denominations.
We have the men. 1t is with you to give
us the ships. There exists to-day in our
navy the same material that produced such
men as Hull, Decatur. Ingram, Preble ;,
Tattnall and others of the same character
We have the men and the money and the
facilities. 1t is for you, the merchants, TO
give US the ships. | conclude with thou-
sand thanks for your kind reception"
THE LUNCHEON.
An excellent luncheon had been prepared
by the ladies of the st. Johns Rectory So.
ciety the viands substantial as we'll as dell
icate. Much taste was displayed in the
arrangement and decoration of the tables At
the close OF Admiral Gherardi's address a
vigorous attack was made upon the lunch
con. By right of courtesy and experience
the admiral led the attack and was ably
| supported by his staff and the many aids
| who rallied to his assistance. Volleys Of
popping corks and broadsides of solids and
liquids In no wise dismayed the
invaders. The onslaught OF the boarding
party was entirely successful and at its con-
| clusion they might truly say they had met
the enemy and it was theirs.
Having failed TO defeat the visitors with
the products of forest and stream a rhetori-
cal bombardment was begun upon them.
THE SPEECHES.
Capt. John F. Wheaton opened the second
chSak0uncus ny 66Q. a. IL.
Lawton. Gen. Lawton said he
came as an outsider aud had no
intimation that he would be called upon.
| He said the fact that the chief admiral Of
| the United States navy could be entertained
/ so pleasantly here was sufficient evidence of
a reunited people. He related a conversa-
ton which he had with the commander in
chief Of she Austrian army, the son of the
great Archduke Charles, while he was min
lister to Austria, upon this subject, in which
the Austrian commander said the fact that
an ex-confederate general could be sent as
representative of the United States to for
eign country was evidence indeed
that it was again one country.
Gen. Lawton dwelt ct length upon the idea
| of reunited country. In conclusion he
said: II welcome him 1.-THE admirall as one
who has SO gracefully accepted this order
and who has borne it with so much honor,
both TO himself and country
Col. Mercer was called upon and though
evidently surprised made a brief and
eloquent address. he said he could only
add to what had already been said of
the appreciation of the visit of the admiral
and his officers. He hoped they would
learn at once, IL they bad not already done
SO. that Savannah is anxious to have them as
her guests.
WHAT SAVANNAH is.
HT NAV cav ~ Savannah cold CoI