Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-19
THE KAIsERIN AUGUSTA (GERMAN).

ginning OF tne rendezvous were nothing to
| the crowds that are here now that the great
| gathering is well under way There is some
| thing going on all the time for the amusement
| of the nations guests. and this gives a great
opportunity for enjoyment TO the sightseers.
There are now in the roads twenty-eight
men-of-war and every afternoon there are re-
| ceptions and dances on board some OF them to
which prominent people on shore as well as the
| friends of the officers invited. With lavish
hospitality everything possible is being done
| for the pleasure OF the visitors, and from now
| on until next Monday, when the fleet haus up
| any leisure or let up in the gaiety.
'rPIvAL OF THE GERMAN SHIPS
| One o. the most beautiful sights that has
been seen here yet was last evening, when the
two German ships came into Hampton Roads
| They were the Kaiserin Augusta and the Seead-
| Ter.
! They came in late that had the larger
ship not begun firing her guns as soon as she
had fairly entered the roads they would not
have been received with a formal salute until
| this morning. As IL almost as soon
as the German msn-of-war had sighted the
| Philadelphia she began the usual work of burn
ing gunpowder and from then on there was n
constant succession of discharges from the big
guns. The kaiserin blazed away with her
guns, one after another so that there was
really series of blazes noticeable completely
encircling her great hull and clouding it in
smoke AZ she passed on up to her place of
| anchorage.
AN INSPIRING SPECTACLE.
1t was a wonderfully inspiring sight, and as
the salutes were answered in turn from the fort
| and from all the ships at anchor the noise for
| a while was fairly deafening. The roads were
hung over with a dense cloud of smoke that
almost made this feet invisible. and one could
| well imagine what the sight would be here in
the event of real naval encounter
The Kaiserin Augusta. which will be the flag
ship OF the German squadron, is but one year
old, and is rated as one of the finest ships in
the German navy. Registering 6,O52 tons she
will be, next to the Blake, the largest ship in
the international feet. and in many respects
will be the most striking and effective of all the
warships which go from here next Monday to
New York.
The Seeadler is an unprotected cruiser about
| one-third her companions tonnage, but built
| apparently on the same general lines. She,
too, is but year out of the ship yards. The
two German ships alone of the foreign squad
rons are painted in the American fashion, and
but for the flags they float and the distinctive
look Of officers and crew might easily be taken
| as additions to the American fleet.
ARRIVAL OF THE ARErHEUsE
This morning the great French flagship, the
compartment Of the customary salute dropped
IL,
which were already here.
ANCHORED IN THE ROADS,
The arrival of the French ship brought the
number of ships in the roads for the rendez-
vous up to twenty-eight There are still about
dozen to come.
The American squadron numbers fourteen
, in al!-the flagship Philadelphia. the Newark,
! baltimore. Bennington. Bancroft. San Fran
cisco and atlanta, under Admiral Ben
ham; the Chicago. Yorktown. Versuvius
Charleston and Concord, under Admiral
Walker; the torpedo boat Cushing and
i,the dispatch boat Dolphin. The foreign fleet
is made up of tie five English cruisers. Blake
Magicienne. Tartar. Australia and Partridge:
the Russian cruisers, General, Admiral and
Rynda; the haiserin Augusta and the Seeadler
which float the German flag: the French ships
Arethuse, Jean Bart and Hussard; the Italian
cruiser Giovanni Bausan and the Dutch man
| of-war Van Speyk.
CHICAGO DOUBLE WINNER.
Yesterday afternoon there was an interesting
if not very scientific game of base ball played
between a nine from tine Chicago and picked
nine made up from the rest OF the squadron
The Chicago BOYS old hands at the game
and had no difficulty in wipinS up the parade
ground Of the fort with their opponents.
There was also an exciting boat to en-
terrain an immense crew of onlookers. 1t was
between the barge from the Philadelphia and
one from the Chicago. Each boat was manned
with twelve oars. The course was four miles
and victory again perched on the worlds fair
city ship. Her barge beat the Pniiade!ph By
about twelve seconds. close race for such a
distance. 1t was great surprise TO the officers
| ard men from the Philadelphia rs they were
sure OF victory and are out in the neighborhood
of 81 500 as result.
They ascribed their defeat 10 the fact tina.
their regular coxswain was not in the boat and
lat fNNyo as,,
| in the navy for never having lost race, took
his barge and 5000 over to the Chicago and
offered to row the race over again. The chal-
| lenge was declined, even when the Philadelphia
boat agreed to give them handicap of thirty
six seconds in the four miles.
ENTERTAINED By THE WHITE SQUADRON
Last evening there was comparatively small
number Of foreign officers on shore for the
dance, as they were all being entertained on
board of the ships of the white squadron. On
the Dolphin Rear Admiral Gherardi had as his
guests the other admirals who are here with the
feet and the commanding officers of all the
different ships. The occasion was memorable
| one and the handsomely reftted cabin of the
Presidents yacht was initiated under most IA
yorable auspices.
On all the other white ships the other officers
of the visiting ships were entertained at dinner
in royal style. Each man was, as a rule
taken care of by the officers from a ship of cor
res pOndlrg grade. Inc officers OF the Blake
were the guests Of the Philadelphia, and SO on
down the list.
The dinners we're without exception very
handsome affairs, and the visitors were given
that sort OF treatment that true sailor is sup
posed TO enjoy when he visits another ship.
There were plenty of flowing bowls. and merri-
ment ran high and unrestrained.
So it is from morning to night There is
something going all the time, for the rendez-
vous Is really social occasion. and the real
| work Of the navies need not be looked for
until the start of the review commences. The
visitors are here by invitation Of the govern
ment and as the guests of the American navy
| and are treated as such with generous hospi-
tality.
AMUsEMEyrs AT NORFOLK.
Much Of the interest in the rendezvous Just
now centers about Norfolk, for an elaborate
program has been prepared to be carried out
| there each day. Today there were q number
| Of bow and gig races for crews from the differ
emit native and foreign vessels.
There was curious sight to be seen here this
morning when the little Cushing started of for
| Norfolk. She bad on board an officer from
| eaAh ship that was to participats in the races.
and behind hsr abe dragged - her tow upward
Of twenty ships boats, lsshed together in : long
| line
The most unique crafts Of al. though, were
1 the catamarAus that were TO take part in the
- I~s-1 Eli