Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-14
RED-TAPE FOR VISITORS.
Complaints that the Russian Of
ficcrs Were Not Warmly Met.

There is a general and strong ten
dencv here among all to criticlse the
reception which the Russians on the
Rynda and General Admiral have met
at our hands. The heads OF the
American naval force are little
concerned about what their subordi-
nate officers saw, for 1t is fixed princi-
pie that naval officers and sailors are
forever growing. AS for what the pub
lie SAYS. il is more than likely that our
naval chiefs care less, for the public Is
merely paying for the navy and Is not
running il. On the other hand, SAYS
the correspondent Of the New York San,
the commander in chief Is not 10 blame
for the character of the reception that
the Russians have experienced. The
fault IS with those rules which are SUI
perior even to Admiral Gherardi.
Since the Russians are not like us and
do not possess a frigld veneering of
Ango-Saxon self-control, their ways of
doing things are very different from
ours These very gentlemen who are
now here with two Russian cruisers
vonld have climbed all over our
ships had we been the visitors
and tins Russian port When
ever our ships enter q Russian seaport
and find the Cars fighting ships at
anchor there, the Russians man the
wards and as soon as our ships drop an
chor the Russian captains seem TO race
10 see who among them can be first to
greet orr commanders. They are the
heartiest. warmest, and jolliest friends
our naval men ever meet among foreign
crs. and their friendship never stops
short Of the most generous and lncesSant
hospitality.
NO WELCOME.
Now. il has happened that two OF the
Russian ships have come here, ana the
GROWERS say they have met with what
tho New York newsbovs would call
frost. No one told them whore to an
Choir and there was no rush-even by
SINGLE American indiyidual-tO welcome
them. Stiff formality was oil that they
got. taking the form OF such visits rs
nayal etiquette commands. The next
day this formality was not half exhaust
ed and the Russians came ashore ana
drifted around the place IN an almlesS
and helpless sort OF way.
MAKING HEADwAY.
They carry continual md able
thirst wherever they go, and II II
had not been that GONE army
officers rescued them, they would hayo
landed dry and gone back dryer still
On top of all that, on the morning OF
tho tlird day of their visit our fleet
pulled ND its anchors and steamed ont
10 sen. leaving only the Philadelphia
and the little Cushing to represent our
glorions navy. This il was that seemed 70
tbc holiday crowds of sightseers most
astonishing thing to DO. 1t was as one
woman expressed IT, as If two trends
had called upon family, and the iaal-
IN. after inviting them into the parlor,
lad suddenly said good-by nnd gone
away 10 another town, leaving only the
man of the house to entertain the con-
pany.
This IL how the situation seems, but
II is only seeming after all. = The fact IS
that our long. established custom used
10 be 10 welcome and visit oil foreign
naval visitors as soon they entered one
OF our ports. We were then as hearty
as we knew how to be. But within
year we have adopted European rule
whose effect is that which has just been
seen here IN Hampton loads. :! hat
rule is that the last conner IN
port shall pay the first visits.
The procedure here has there
fore been quite correct. aad accord,
ing TO the revised edition OF the naval
hoyle, though il is thought that 1t must
astonish the Russians to SEQ such radl-
cal change in our behavior. That may
also be but seeming. Tor no one pro-
tends TO have heard any Russians COM
plain. and it is fair TO suppose that they
understand tae situation. Admiral
Gherardi's character for hospitality and
kindlincss is guarantee that It 1t "