Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-05-27
OUR WAR SHIPS ABROAD.

Courtesles Which Their Commanders
Show to Foreign Potentates.
Most of the nations represented by
war vessels in the naval parades here
and at Norfolk are only returning cour'
tesies repeatedly shown them by the
navy of the United States, This gov.
ernment pays its respects to foreign. ma.
tioLa not only by means of diplomatic
service, but through the ships of the
navy, and every officer fifteen years in
the service has takep part in Uncle
Sans proxy visits all over the world.
The ship bearing our card of good will
to foreign nations conveys the as
surance of Uncle Sans distin-
guished consideration to a dozen
lands in the course of a three-years'
voyage. If seaport visited happens to
be capital, the captain, with as many
of the officers as can be spared, the
ships music and a guard of a dozen
marines, goes to call upon the sovereign.
These friendly demonstrations are not
confined to the sovereigns of great ma
tions, but are often accorded to petty
potentates to whom the United States
sends no diplomatic representatives.
The sultan of the Comoro islands. Il
black polygamist of 'slave-catching in
stincts, was honored with visit from
an American man-of-war a few years
ago, and the monarch's return call was
made while his own gunboats were on
the other side of the ship selling fruit
to the sailors. 1t was the almost-nalled
sovereign of a Pacific group that beg
ged an earthen soup-ladle from the
ward-room of an American man-of-war
upon one ceremonious visit, and upon
his next call wore the laIlle fan
tasticallv as a part of his scant cos
tune. The proxy who transacts public
business of ceremonious nature for the
king of Siam received the officers of an
American man-of-war with great pomp
and momentarily embarrassed the cap
tain by causing cigars to be passed
round. AS the proxy king did not take
one the captain was in doubt whether
to spoke in SO august a presence until
the young officer in attendance struck
n light, when everybody followed his
example, and ease was restored.
When "A seaport visited is not capi-
tai, the ship sometimes pays Uncle
SANS respects to the mayor. In that
case the captain goes to the city hall
with one or two officers as aides and
listens TO whatever polite speeches the
mayor may have to make. Mayors us
ually return these visits in person, and
are asked to drink with the captain
Sovereigns send proxy, who is re-
ceived with the presidents salute of
twenty-one guns and served with as
much liquor as he can hold.
1t is in the Mediterranean, the great
ports of China and Japan, and at Mon
tevideo and Rio Janeiro that the ships
of the United States navy encounter
those of other nations, and the eX-
change of courtesies is often lively.
There are growing out of these hospi-
talities odd stories of revenge, not be-
cause of physical attack, but in return
for successful assaults upon the sobriety
of shipmates. The proverbial drinking
capacity of the Russians is true even of
their chaplains, but ward room yarns
ars to be trusted even Russian officers
have been forced to quit the table by
Uncle SANS men. As to English Off
GERS, they have succumbed again and
again to the Yankees, and been sent up
over the sides of their ships in condi-
ton rejecting small credit upon her
majesty's service.-N. Y. Sun.