The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-21
SIGNIFICANT SALUTES.
EUROPEAN Politics CROP OUT IN
PEACEFUL WATERS.
The German and italian Ships Give Some
Partial salutes-Angry, Lowering
Clouds Over the Roads.

FORTRESS MONROE, VA, Aprl W.
Like giants asleep were the great war
ships in Hampton Roads to-day. All
around them danced a fleet Of little boats
tossed like corks upon the stormy waves
1t was raining when the first CLEAN or !
day broke over the fort this morning. |
A gale was blowing from the southeast.
The horizon was invisible, and even the |
white squadron was enshrouded In "a
dirty mist, which hid their snowy out |
lines. Heavy black clouds scurried across !
the sky, but Iney were no blacker than
the clouds which fitted over the faces
of the girls as they glanced at the sea
and wondered how in the world they were
TO brave the dangers Of the deep. 1t was
enought to daunt the bravest soul to
look out upon the tempestuous waves.
Heavy seas, crowned with great masses
of foam, broke heavily upon the shore
and some Of the launches as they bore
the officers TO the wharf were hidden
every moment i'm the trough OF the swell
But even with a mental reservation not
TO step foot within a boat all day long the
girls came down 10 a late breakfast,
arrayed in elaborate sailor costumes, and
then spent the rest Of the morning In
displaying their toilets on the shore.
AS the day wore on the gale :rcreased.
the sea became rOughcr, and the "lnu
howlod a dismal tune as it whisted
abound the corners Of the HyGeia iio-
tel Nearly everybody stayed indoors, al
though the few who defed their fears and
tied lead to the bottom Of their skirts
came back with glowing faces ana thrill
| ing tales Of haiT-breadth escapes.
The lead idea was really quite a clever
| thing. II originated with the wife or a
naval officer well known in Washington,
| and was speedily adopted The girls ana
| their chaperons fastened little DTS OF
| lead TO the bottom Of their skirts and
| thus prevented an undue display OF
ankles as they cl8mbered up the steep
| landing steps of the ships. one glri de-
cidedly more clever than the rest came
| back from the Blake with her skirts
| weighted down with a handful Of bullets
which she had obtained by requisition
| on the ammunition room, and whlch she
| will Keep "A souvenirs Of her visit.
Although the arrival of foreign ships
| has become a thing Of common occur
| renee there was hasty exodus from
the hotel lobby this morning when the
| booming of cannon announced that new
,,eeseI was in the harbor. She few the
familiar flag Of Italy from the stern
| and was speedily identified as the Aetna
| q protected cruiser. not as large as tlc
Chicago or the Philadelphia, but interest
ing from the fact that her ten-lnch guns
are larger even than the great weapons
! which the Blake carries. There was more
| than the usual cOmmOtiOn as she came 10
! anchor. At her main a small blue nag
| 1,itb a white star stood out stiffiy IN the
| gale the silent signal that rear admiral
| was on board Everybody had 10 salute
| him. The guns beloved with more noise
| than usual for the long, low black Cloud
| that acted as a background 10 the slllpS'
sound like n great sounding board. IL
u,os noticeable TO observe that the Ger
,,on noan-of-war the Kaiserin Augusta
hogan 70 salute when the Aetna was sun
within half a mile Of her anchorage ms
| little incident has caused much GOSSIP p
here as did the ostentatous haste WIN
which the Russians boarded the Jean
| Bart. -;
tics nlaving a part in the peaceful waters
os the United States but II was quite
evident that the shrcwd Germans did not
intend to lose even this opportunity OF
testifying their regard for the nation
which. with their own Fatherland' ana
Austria. form the dreibund. Equally sig
nifcant was the occurrence or thls after
noon. Admiral Magnaghi, Of the Aetna
visited all the other admirals In the heet.
| 1'hen he went TO the Kaisern Augusta,
where he spent some time As he depart
ed the customary salute was nred. IN
stantIv the guns Of the Italian ship
belched forth their flame and smoke, al
though none of the salutes which the
Admiral had received from the other
ships were returned.
II was with many apologies that Cap
tain Sartoris and Commander Aubry well
coined your correspondent. I'VE are 50
deerty." said the commander, struggling
with his English, 1--WE have had So
what you call it?-so rough voyage. THE
Aetna came here from Spesia, Italy =
naval port and, travelling by the north
ern passage. ran into a cyclone. The
| enormous ten-inch gun on the forward
| deck, although It looked high enol eh out
Of the water to-day, was most Of the
time Immersed In salty bath. She
! relied so heavily that the torpedo nets
along her sides were under water half
the time and or &c 1t was thought that
they would be carried away. Everything
movable on deck was still dashed with
strong cables this morning. and there
was a red coating of rust over every bit
of exposed metal
With an alacrity that would have done
, justice to the Yankee. however. the dark
skinned sons Of Italy were already al
work scrubbng the paint and washing
. | the sides and polishing up the handles
Of the big front door. on the after
| deck the Aetna band was playing VIII
all the ardor Of their music-lovng souls
e 1.-The band plays well" said the cores
, | pondent.
"Ah. no." said the courteous Italian
1 officer. with a deprecating wave OF the
| hand. "Zey are practizing for Ze hrs'
time in ze many days. You cannot play
ze museek when re ship is like zee
. cradle"
Every ship that comes into the harbo
. from a foreign country has some inter
' esting regularity. The Italian manor
war was no exception to the rule. l
was a conservatory ahoat. The hatch
. way that led down TO the admirals quar-
ters was bordered by miniature garden
I'm which was an attractive array o
foliage plants. and which seemed 10 hav
survived the heavy seas. The admiral
cabin was fragrant with the perfume o
: enormous punches OF Bermuda lilies, tai
and white as on the day when they wer
10 gathered upon the lovely Bermudas
e Other flowers of unfamiliar form an
:, brightest coloring decorated the prett
anartments The walls OF the suite O
rooms which the admiral occupies wer
:, like an art gallery. a brilliant oil paint
ing Of St. Marks Square, In Venice,
= charming bit of Italian landscape;
sanity Madonna and a picture or IN
Z admiraTs wife and children were som
{ Of the bits of art which found restin
place against the steel sides OF the mar