The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-05-23
A NOTABLE GATHERING
Members of the International Postal Con-
gresS Entertained Royalty,
GUESTS Of THE NATION AT OLD POINT
They Arc Hanquctcu at the ChuIn-
berinth,nnH II Spccint Nress Parade
Given fn Their Honor at Fort
MoHrOc-Snw American shipyartls
All Nations OF Earth Represented

All Nations Of Earth Represented
The members Of the Congress OF the
Universal Postal Union OF the World
took an outing yesterday. They came
down by special steamer from Bultl-
more. having left Washington where
they are holding their sessions Friday
afternoon and at Baltimore they board
ed the steamer Charlotte OF the South
ern Railway company's bay fleet. In
the early morning they arrived at New
port News, where the foreign gentlemen
were taken to see the great >shipbuild-
ing plant OF the Newport News Ship
building and Dry Dock company.
Afterward the party came to the Nor
folk navy-yard, and when they arrived
at Old Point at O'Clock a sumptuous
banquet awaited them at the Hotel
Chamberlin.
Later Il special dress parade was given
in their honor at Fortress Monroe, and
the delegates left for Baltimore via the
steamer Charlotte. They will return to
Washington this morning.
a NOTABLE OCCASION.
The Postal Congress is by all odds the
most important official body that ever
visited this section. 1t has the power to
make treaties Which are generally
speedily ratified by the Governments
concerned and in this it is even superior
to the diplomatic corps.
The visit TO this section Of the dele
gates composing the august body is full
OF significance, as is this meeting Of the
Postal Congress itself At it's next meet
ing, SIX years hence, the globe will be
absolutely girdled by the great post
office system which First Assistant
Postmaster General Perry S. Heath,
yesterday pronounced TO be the greatest
civilizer of this age Of civilization and
enlightenment
The session has been marked by the
accession to the Postal Union Of the
Empire Of China, the only great govern
ment previously outside the intcrnation-
al compact.
This is II direct result Of the visit Of
Ficeroy II Hung Chang to the various
nations OF earth last fall. This action
of the Celestial Empire, 1t will be recall
ed, was fOreShadowe1 In The Virgil
MANS special Interview with the great
Chinese statesman at Washington last
September
GIVEN y VIEW OF PROGRESS.
The delegates We're taken in charge
Immediately upon their arrival by MIR
T.. u. Lamb, the courteous general agent
of the Southern Railway company. Mr..
Lamb was accompanied also by Mr.. w
Il. Anderson. postmaster Of this city;
Mayor Wyndom r. Mayo, OF Norfolk
Mr.. Flannery, Of the Baltimore News,
Mr.. William Moore, of the Norfolk Dai-
ly Pilot, and Mr.. Allmand Mex. Griggs,
Of the Norfolk Virginian, and Mr. Emo
~. of Washington, representing the AS
Sociated Press.
The Charlotte was headed at once for
Newport News. Arrived at that enter
prising city the party disembarked al
the Newport News Shipbuilding and
Dry Dock company's yards.
The foreign gentlemen were shown
through all the shops taken to see the
giant cranes and cradles for ships, and
given view Of the tremendous dry dock
the only one on this side of the water
capable Of holding the big ships Of the
American line.
Lastly they were taken to where the
keels and rib work for the three great
first class battleships being constructed
for the United States government are
rapidly receiving plates of Harveyized
armor that will make them bulwarks
Of steel TO American interests every
where.
Ihc visitors expressed much surprise
at the stupendous magnitude of the
shlpbuilding plant, and asked if there
were others OF the kind in America.
When informed that we have in this
country not less than six great plants
lul'tti'it VI IL! mug Out .tllllSSflpS ana
cruisers Of the first class. and more than
twenty others able to build gunbuats
and fighting craft for harbor defence,
they were astonished at the tremendous
resources Of the American government.
AT THE NAVY YARD.
From Newport News the party was
taken across Hampton Roads and to the
Norfolk navy-yard. They all expressed
much interest in the historic road
stead. 1t was noticeable that the rep
resentatives of the Persian Chinese and
Japanese nations asked their interpre-
terS most frequently concerning the his
torical associations Of the roads w1ssaae
the British. French and German repre-
sentatives were interested in it's practi-
cal aspect rs the finest harbor and an
chorage ground on earth
The shipping at Norfolk and Ports
mouth was viewed with interest as the
Charlotte passed down the Eastern
Branch Of the Elizabeth 10 the navy
yard.
No landing was made at the yard but
the ships Of the North Atlantic squad
ron here for repairs--thc Newark, AM
phityi.e. Cushing and Wilmington
We're viewed from the deck of the Char
lotte, which then pointed her trim nose
for Old Point again.
BANQUET AT THE CIAMBERLIN.
Upon their arrival at Old Point the
delegates were escorted by Mr. Lamb
and Mr.. Reuben Foster, of the Southern
Bay Line TO the Hotel Chamherlin.
In the ball room Of that magnificent