Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-11
CALLS ON BIG SHIPS.
THE RUSSIAN COMMANDER PAYS HIS
RESPECTS TO oiIR ADMIRAL.
Reouested TO Forego saiutes-The Vice.
Admiral Received with Due Honors-
Gherarif Again on Deck.

ceia swung open on Sunday night hun
dred pair Of bright eyes gazed anxiously
toward them. hoping to sec the peaked
can and cloak of one OF the Russian Off
GERS. says special to the New York Herald
from Fort Monroe. The food of gsuzy-
winged, EMPIRE owned enchsntresses
gradually poured into the great room that
serves for Office. smoking, reading, and
serying-room, sweeping before it the male
guests, who still chung to their rights. their
hats and cigars. They were finally routed
and forced out into the darkness of tho
veranda.
But the Russians did not come. so at 0
o'clock the tide of beauty rolled slowly
back. the girls with red slippers going to
the danclng-pavillion; the Jolly ones
riding in state on creakY trunk-trucks up
and down the corridors, and the intellec-
tual retiring behind the curtains OF the
X. j. parlor.
Naval etiquette was to blame for this.
Social calls could not be made or invita-
tloGs extended by our officers until the Of
fetal calls had been made by the senior
officers. 1t had been race between the
salutes aud the sun when the General Al
miral arrived. IN which the latter was
close second, gong down with the last
gun.
EXCHANGE OF CALLS.
Az calls of ceremony are not made when
the colors are down. Captain Besobrosoh
had TO postpone his visit until after )
o'clock this morning. The Stars and
Stripes had barely reached the truck when
a trim whale-boat, with white-capped crew,
pulled up alongside the Philadelphia's
eangway and handsome young Russian
in cooked, hat came aboard to return the
preliminary visit made the General Adj
miral last evening. An bonr later the
Russian captain came alongside IN his GIG,
hying white pennant. aad pad his re-
spects to Admiral Gherardi, after winch
he called on the admirals of the " red and
white"
Admiral Gherardi called Oh the General
Admiral Immediately after divine service
on the Philadelphia. He was Immediately
followed by Admiral Walker. who had IN
the mean time called on Admiral Benham.
In the evening Admiral Benham also
called on the Russian and returned Ad-
miral Walkers call. Thus the ends OF eti-
quette are woven up 20 date.
The Russian captain Will now call on
the captain Of his own rank and return
the calls of commanders junior to him.
self. These calls will be repeated when
the Rynda arrives.
II NAV be easily understood that should
n number of ships of different nationality
arrive at the same time the complications
would soon amount TO al lnextrIcable tam
gle. The marine guards and buglers have
already had a taste Of this, and spent n
highiy-eXciting half hour while the two
admirals' barges were crossing and recrOss-
ing each other this morning. being con-
tinualy rushed back and forth nom one
end of the snip to the other, presenting
arms and sounding off toward all points Of
the compass.
If matters continue in this way it is not
improbable that the quartermasters and
signal-boys OF tho tagshps will also be
down with nervous prOstration.
Every boat from the foreigners approach
ing the landing must pass the Philadelphia.
end may perhaps intend 10 visit her, 50
that until it has passed every preparation
must be made to render the proper gang
way honCrs.
When Admiral Gherardi left the General
Admiral ho requested that no salute be
fred, as II was sunday. The same request
was made later by Admirals Bchham and
Walker. The salutes thus avoided num-
bered in all seventy-eight guns.
1t is not the custom of tue Russian Gov
eminent TO send its best cruisers abroad
except on special occasions. 1t is unfor-
tunate in the present instance. as the big
ironclals being shut up in the Baltic by
the ice, the ships 10 be present Mt Hamp-
ton Roads, though excellent in their class.
are old-tGshioned. The General Admiral
was built twenty years ago and Is fitted
with an Uld-fashioned battery and has but
one screw. Still she Is an efficient ship
and a worthy addition to the review.
HIGHLY EFFICIENT SHIP.
Il Is on old naval saying that the inter-
nal condition and discipline OF man-Ot-
war may be told by the appearance of her
boats. IL this ia true the General Admiral
Is in high state Of efficiency. Both boats
and crew are "a neat and trim as the most
rigid sailor fashion can prescribe. The
men are fine-looking. lusty fellows. some
thing in appearance between the English
and German Observation-Disclosures. square
fnced. blue-eyed. heavy. and powerful.
Tho gray boards forward aboard our
shiIis- have decided 20 approve most
heartily Of the Russians. There
IL swing and snap about
their boats, salutes. and general work that
at once opens tho hearts of their brothers
IN the same profession. All the morning
watch the Russians have been cleaning
ship. They swarmed like bees in hundreds
over the sides, each man swinging tiny
"bos'n's" chair. and the rusty, water
worn color was quickly transformed to
glossy black. They squirmed over the VEN
tiiators and smoke-stacks and left them
glistening snow-white. They hung Ike
spiders in the air toning down the back
STAYS. They were at work noiselessly
everywhere. and before 10 O'Clock 1t was
done.
The General Admiral is said TO carry 500
men, but there are whispers around the
galley fires of every ship in the white feet
that this Is not so. The Phladelphia's
cook stoutly asserts that the Russian could
send 500 men ashore and still be crowded
with men.
1t is fact that the officers of an Amer
lean man-of-war once lying alongside a
none of her large liberty parties ever
seemed to return. This excited the junior
officers curiosity and they kept careful
watch on her during tlB entire winter.
Every day at noon 200 lusty sailors tum-
bled over the side into an immense pull
ing launch, which landed them ana re-
turned to the ship. Not a man of them
was ever seen TO return, and yet the Rus
sian never had a wssh-day with less than
l,200 pieces on the line.
Lieutenant Harry Hosley, OF the Phila-
delphia, has had the honor TO be unani-
mously elected director-general of the
coming naval regatta by the blue Jackets
of the feet. Lieutenant Hosley is emil
nently qualified for the position both
through experience and interest in the
work.
There are hints that Immediately after
the review the San Francisco will return
TO the Pacific and become Admiral Sker-
rett's flagship.
ADMIRAL GHRRARDI RECOVERED.
Admiral Gherardi was taken of the sick
list to-day and spent the afternoon ashore
driving. There is no indication that he
will not be able to perform his duties from
now on in as vigorous and CHEEKY manner
as ever.
Secretary of-Agriculture Morton. ac-
eompanied by a number of gentlemen de-
sirous of inspecting the Philadelphia,
called on Admiral Gherardi this afternoon
aud on his departure received a salute of
seventeen guns.
The following is list of the officers of
the General Admiral: Captain p. A. Beso-
brasolf. Executive-O Officer Young, Lieute-
nan;s Iyanof, Rononof, PETE, ShoumofF,
Either, Bageroff. Stepanoff. Protopopon,
Yergolsky. Pekarsky. and Berlinsky, En-
signs Warogeikin, Nosikoff. Kosinsky,
Pestshonroff, Wesslago, SHowjatkin, Ovan-
der. and SergueiefF; Navigating Officer
-