The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-16
WILDLY WELCOMED.
How the Russian Sailors Spent
Sunday in Toulon.
THE BATTLE OF THE FLowERH

Tho Visiting Onicers Delayed by Floral
Tributes of rriendship-Ordinary Sea-
men Carried About on the Shoulders of
Enthusiastic Fronohmsn.
ToULoN, Oct. 16-Few persons slept in
Toulon Saturday night. The streets were
almost as crowded at o'clock yesterday
morning as at 8 o'cloch in the afternoon.
The illumination oil y ops aud private
houses did not cease until daybreak, and
the thousands sang and caroused under
the electric light without sign of weari-
ness. When the officers ball at the arsenal
closed shortly after 0 o'clock yesterday
morning the dancers came out upon
scene of delirious enthusiasm. Bands
playing the Russian anthem and the "Mar-
sellaise" were parading the streets, the
throng was alternately singing and cheer
ing, and shouts for Russia, the Russian Of
ficers and the czar rang from every side.
At 8 o. clock the crush was worse than be-
fore since the celebration began. Every
body was shouting Long live Russiar'
"Long live the czarin
Mayor Ferraro gave his luncheon in the
name of the municipality at II o'clock.
The play ground Of the college had been
covered with great tent and under this
the tables were laid. The Russian officers
showed their appreciation of the fine wines
by drinking themselves into state of
flushed excitement. When the luncheon
was over the mayor made a rather bonn
bastic speech as to the alliance of sister
nations, which, he said, ought to be re-
garded abroad as n pledge of peace and
not as threat of war. He presented a
gold champagne cup to Admiral Avelan
and a silver champagne cup to every other
Russian officer. The presentation speeches
were effusive, but they evoked no corre-
spending response from the Russians Ad-
mirsl Avelan expressed his thanks briefly,
and the other Russian officers followed
his example. None of them made any al
lusion to politics.
As the day advanced all the main thor
oughfares were thronged from wall to wall
Admiral Avean and his officers were con-
veyed in open carriages to the Place de Ia
Liberte, where the battle of flowers was to
take place. The crowds were so dense that
the horses could proceed only at slow
walk.
The Russians were half smothered with
flowers, confetti and paper spirals. They
returned the fire with spirit and smiled
and waved their caps as the people piled
up the flowers to the carriage wheels. At
the Place de la Liberte the procession of
floats and flower bedecked carriages was
longer and finer than anything attempted
at the Nice carnival. The pavements were
strewn with tons Of confetti.
The enthusiasm of the unofficial crowd
exceeded nll bounds when the Russian
sailors landed. French sailors aud civil
ians formed in professions, hoisted the
men to their shoulders and carried them
through the streets. Women embraced and
kissed them. Wherever the Russian sail
ors appeared deafening shouts for Russia
and the czar filled the air. Until evening the
demonstration was remarkable for the alb
sence of drunken men. After dark, how
ever, wine was given out In enormous
quantities. Staggering sailors were to be
seen everywhere, and the popular mani
festations of enthusiasm degenerated into
maudlin embraces and drunken bowling
A dinner was given at the prefecture last
evening to the Russian officers and the
high French officials who have come from
other cities. Later there was gala per.
formance at the Grand theater, which the
Russians attended at the invitation of tho
municipal government. The chief feature
of the performance was Franco Russian
bDilpt