The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-18
THE FOREIGN WARSHIPS
vHlr 4 TIMES REPORTER SAW
WHILE ON BOARD THE VESSELS.
A Description ofthe Mcn-o'-wsr Now An
ehored In Hampton Ronds--How IN"
On,cers Pass Their Time.


ror weeks past hundreds OF people IN
Norfolk Richmond and other cities have
heen IN a fever OF excitement over the
celebration, and 1t looks as though every
bodv wants to take a look at representa-
.,vAa NJ the worlds big navies at the
same time. The natural sequence is oiu
Point presents a scene OF animation ana
rve,,ness never surpassed at any time
apr,ne the history of that delightful re-
sort.
Van would be surprised to see the hustle
and rush at the Point now. When
s,enned off the train Sunday glance was
sueicient 10 see that an immense throns
zoe already on hand, and each tram
brings in large numbers or visitors only
20 disappoint them as TO securing COM
Portable quarters. Naturally enough
everybody wants apartments on 'he
beach side Of the hotel so as TO command
GOOD views of the majestic looking men
or-var lying laziy at anchor some uls-
lance out The hotel men, Of course, are
IN a world Of trouble. for every available
room is occupied, and still they come.
Every steamer brings In new delegatoh,
and now even the question OF feedihs 'he
hungry throng has assumed very serious
phase Many visitors are forced 10 secure
quarters In Hampton or Newport News
and in a day or two these hotels Will be
oyercrowded. and Norfolk, and, perhaps
Richmond. will be the centre OF gravita-
zion for those seeking lodging.
When | sauntered through the parlors
OF the Hygeia Sunday the tete-a-tetes,
IN progress under a number OF dlIncul-
ties were amusing In the extreme. the
tender glances. soft laughter, and ire
eistible ways of a pretty maid struggling
with all the energy Of an American glrl
10 surmount the attacks OF an Anglo
Russian dialect al once commended ltsel1
70 my sympathies Now and then the
Russian officer a prosaic, blunt indlvl-
dual. and totally unacquainted with the
general get up" OF a typical American
damse would resume the fight with all
the patience and discipline characteristic
OF he Cars representative. l left the
couple trying hard to understand each
other Whether they succeeded in getting
up a romance is more than doubtful; but
Il was no fault of the girl and she was
evidently a candidate, with very un-
satisfactory prospects for cruise to the
domains of the Car.
A boat was soon secured. and a party
of five los. no time in riding the waves en-
route to the Philadelphia, the big flagship
lying peacefully just in front of the
Hygeia. Passing this the Chicago, an
other flagship similar TO the Philadel-
phia though not so shapely, lies next TO
the right. She carries IA guns. and with
the exception Of the Baltimore, is the
largest American boat in the fleet. Some
three hundred yards further the York
town, somewhat smaller, though a ver-
table terror of the sea, floats peacefully
on the bosom Of the water with dignity
born Of sex reliance.
A short distance and our craft sped
by the Concord, a graceful cruiser Of
100 tons. carrying six guns; then around
with only $50 tons capacity Her hull sets
close to the water. and she is much
smaller than the cruisers but a formida-
BILE terror TO the foe, owing to her re-
markable rapidity in action. The Charles
ton, protected cruiser of 400, carrying
eight guns, is perhaps the most shapely
craft in the fleet. Captain F. II. Picking,
a model seaman, commands her. The ship
and commander are admirably adapted
one to another.
The Italian cruiser Bausan, shaped
somewhat like the Charleston. lies off to
the right, and beyond this the Dmitr
Donsko a Russian armored cruiser. ly-
ing just in front of the General Admiral, a
large, partially protected cruiser of the
Cars navy. The Russian ships have an
out-of-date appearance, and are evidently
not planned after the latest naval archi-
lecture.
Bart arrived early Sunday morning. She
is one of the largest men-of-war aioat,
carrying ten broadside guns. with fore
and aft guns, together with many Hotch-
kiss and Calling guns in her immense
military towers She is painted black.
and one look at the immense ship is
enough to discourage the foe
When our party boarded the Jean-Bart
everything on board was hard at work
Cot ha1 nj
had a beehive appearance, ropes wind
lasses. chains and anchors made a deaf
ening noise, and a hundred sailors were
busily engaged In cleaning up the ship
for the review.
My knowledge of French is limited to
a theoretical college course. so you can
easily imagine what progress / made in
the midst of several hundred men, whose
English was inferior to my French. IN
fortunately for me The higher officers
were ashore al the time of my visit, and
1t was with difficulty l succeeded in FISH,
ing UP one little FIenchman who knew
few clauses Of English. One of the
party remarked that we should have
brought an Interpreter. This would have
been Q decied advantage, for when sur
rounded by four hundred foreigners there
is only one consolation-whe an one loses
his patience and wishes to express HIM
self in emphatic terms, he can easily ex-
haus. the Anglo-Saxon tongue In his use
Of abusive epithets. and provided he puts
On Pleasant smile the foreigner will not
resent his phrase oogy.
With this idea in view, approached one
OF the crew, no one of which was more
than five feet seven inches in height
and finally secured the information that
the ship sailed. from Toulon March 18th.
and arrived az the Point early Sunday
morning, after encountering a 70 Ugh voy-
age. FINALLY | was taken down in the
hull TO see the machinery and a ramble
thr'Cgh this department sool convinced
me that the Jean-Bart was supplied with
all the latest improvements in naval ar
chitecture at the time she was COM
pleted, about two years ago. She is a
source of pride to the members of her
crew VINO could be often seen peering
through the field-glasses and displaying
q high degree or interest at the fact
that the French cruiser was the most i'm
posing ship in the roads before Her
MaJestys representatives arrived
Inc Frenchmen. OF course exhibited q
high degree OF courtesy, and when 7 loft
the cratt they apologized in graceful
terms for not having been better nrenared
Tor the reception of visitors. rhev are
quaint looking little men. with their
Keen. piercing eyes and vandyke boards.
which were generally worn among the
members OF the crew. They Informed
me that If / would return the next dav
1 would hardly know the ship. after the