The Portland daily press., 1893-10-16
ClReoEs OF PRESENTS.
The Cars Ships at Toulon Being
Flooded With Them.
EVEN THE RUSSIAN SAILORS NOW
CARRY WATCHES.

Th 9 French Show Their Delight at Russia's
friendship in Substantial Manner
Cabins ON the Visiting Ships Piled High
With Gifts-Illuminated Addresses Tell
of Undying Love-A Comedy at TouIon
Which May Precede Tragedy.
Toulon, October Is. The visit; of the
Russian fleet now in the harbor here,
which has set all Europe talking and
looking around for .the.s war cloudn has
its humorous side. The event being
taken as indicating friendship and
alliance between Russia and France, the
French have shown their pleasure with
characteristic etfusion and the Russian
vessels will carry away with them
| cargoes of presents and an interesting
| collection of addresses expressing the
Frenchman's love- for his Russian
brother.
Delegates from Besancon, capital of the
Department. of Doubs, presented to the
Russian sailors gold and. silver watches
as souvenirs of !. their visit to French
waters. The sailors in their way. are
having as good a time on board their
ships as their officers.
The authorities of various provincial
towns have sent beautifully, Illuminated
addresses to Admiral. Avelane. The in
terest.of many OF the sightseers was at
tracted today by the ascent of huge
balloon, on.the circumference of which,
painted in huge LETTERS was the name Of
the air.ship, Admiral Avelane
1t is noteworthy fact that onne of the
Kusslan sailors have as yet been allowed
liberty to- visit the shore. Admiral
Ayelane is evidently anxious that they
shall not;mix in the remarkable effef-
vescence that is prevailing everywhere in
Toulon and it's vicinity.
Almost all the officials and delegates
who visited Admiral Avelane today left
presents for the Russians. By aevening
these presents, piled onsthe floor of the
cabin, reached fairly to the ceiling
M. Humbert, president of the Paris
Municipal Council, formally invited the
Admiral to visit the capital. promising
him such a reception as befitted. the
allies, friends and brothers of French
men. In reply Admiral Avelane thanked
take in France is followed by Russia
The Perfect of Marseilles invited
Admiral Avelane to visit that port, and
the Admiral promised to ask his govern
ment's permission to do so.
Throngs of enthusiastic sightseers have
DCOiI slolui1i$5 UAC INuSSIdu SHIPS. l6y
have invaded every corner of the men of
war and paid compliments without end
to thesoficers and crews. The phlegmatic
Russian sailors seemed to be astonished
and amused by their gesticulating and
voclferous callers, all wearing the
rosettes of French and Russian. colors
with the imperial arms attached.
Lieutenant Tolstoi, son of the novelist,
Count Leo Tolstoi and Admiral Avelane's
.aide-de-camp,. said in an interview that
the cordially of .the: Touson reception
would cause as much qualification ia
Russia as the Cronstadt celebration
caused in France.
Admiral Boissoudy gave banquet to
evening aboard the war ship Formidable
An immense sail cloth tent was erected
on the rear deck and under sit canopied
with the flags of the two nations, was
spread the horseshoe table, Admiral
Boissoudy, sitting at the head, faced a
63 ton cannon, which was surmounted
with score of flags interlaced with rifles
and bayonets SO as to spell the words
Honor, Country, Cronstadt, Toulon.n
Behind Admiral Boissoudy the flags of
the two countries were blended and
brought under the focus of a strong
electric light, which made the whole
colored star. The sides of the big tent
were draped with tapestry bearing marine
symbols and the rarest flowers were
crowded along the tables.
AS Admiral Ave1ane boarded the For
midable the band struck up the national
hymn. Admiral sBoissoudy gavesa signal
and the masts Fand FhuIls lof stheS whole
feet burst forth with "a food of elsctric
lights.