Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-07
Courtesy Of Foreign Residents to the
Emperor of Japan.
PRESENTATION OF an ADDRESS
7ook!aon the Appearance of an In
ternationaI Affair.
ELABORATE DECO
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
YOKOHAMA May 49, 1899
During the last few months great strides
nave been made by the foreign community
OF Japan in showing their good will toward
the people to whose rule they are to be
submitted after the 18th of July next; but
by far and away the greatest event which
mas taken place was the presenting of an
address to his majesty the emperor on his
visit to the races at Yokohama on Tuesday
last
Generally his majesty travels most unos-
tentatiously, with a very small bodyguard,
and often without any escort and it is
rarely that he consents to receive any out
ware demonstration from his own subjects,
much less from foreigners, and although
the latter have often desired to give him a
pubic welcome on the few occasions he
laNors them with visit, the request has
generally been declined.
However on his last visit to Kobe the
emperor consented to receive an address
from the municipal body Of that city, the
presentation of which proved highly salts
factory TO his majesty and to the japanese
generally, Tor any courtesy shown to the
ruler of these most loyal people cannot fail
to have beneficial result, and the Japan
csc press amply testified to the appreciation
of the honor conferred on the sovereign of
their country.
An International Affair.
Following in the steps of the southern
port, which generally takes the lead in all
progressive matters, the international COM
mittee of Yokohama, hearing that his ma
Jesty would attend the spring races re-
queSted that they might present him with
an address on the occasion fitting trib-
ute of their respect and loyalty to the ruler
under whose jurisdiction thew
20 be subject. Consent being obtained, no
time was lost in making the fullest arrange
ments possible to make the occasion a red
letter day in the history of Yokohama. A
committee was formed, composed of mem
bers of almost every nationality residing
in the port, who guaranteed the funds nee
essary for decorations and other requisites,
while almost every citizen who resided
along the route to be Travelled decorated his
residence N a becoming manner, the result
being that Yokohama has never before been
seen with so profuse display of gay and
festive adornments. The international COM
mittee met his majesty at the railway sta
lion and there presented to him their adj
dress which contrary to general custom,
bis majesty received himself and acknowl-
edged in a short but very appropriate
speech, in which he thanked the foreign res
idents and hoped that the trade between
them AID the Japanese would in
crease ito their mutual advantage.
An Unusual Incident.
HIS was pIODdDly tiit iCISSSl SpttCL
which his. majesty has ever made in &C
knowledging an address presented to him,
for it Is the general custom to acknowledge
such presents in the shortest and most pre-
else words that be found, the usual linz
it not exceeding half dozen words. Par
ttcu!ar stress has been laid upon this speech
by the japanese press as the desire of the
emperor to show in the fullest way his ap-
probation of the loyalty shown to him by
the foreign residents of Yokohama.
And a further proof was shown by the
emperor riding in an open carriage which
Is Il decided departure from the general rule,
and personally acknowledging the salutes
Of foreigners.
The route from the station to the native
town presented no unusual appearance, as
flags and banners only, the general decora-
tons of the japanese on festive occasions,
We're the only signs of decoration; but at
the entrance to the foreign settlement a
huge triumphal arch Of evergreens adorned
by profusiOn of flowers and flags
erected. while the whole length Of the Bund,
which faces the sea and extends for more
than half mile was lined with Venetian
maStS and festOCned with evergreens, so as
to form I continuous bower all the resi-
denccs and public buildings being decorated
in q most artistic manner.
Elaborate Decorations.
At the other end of the Bund there was
another triumphal arch, and all up the
hiu ana along the bluff, to the end of the
foreign settlement, there were several
arches and numerous decorations on a very
elaborate scale and in such profuson
to surpass anything which the japanese
have ever witnessed in their own country.
The procession. too. was something unique
in the history of Japan. for, besides being
accompanied by his bodyguard and per-
sCnal attendants, the emperor was accom-
panied from the station to the race course
by the members of the diplomatic corps
and the international committee, the whole
presenting spectacle never before wit
messed III this land of the rising sun. And
during the whole route there nothing
which occurred in the slightest degree to
in any way mar the effect of the general
desire of everyone present to prove their
sincerity, for at every house the blinds
were drawn and the residents came into
the street, so that, in accordance with
japanese custom, they might not appear
to have looked down on the emperor from
a position elevated above that of his own
carriage. Nor with the exception of the
greeting at the railway station and the
singing of the national anthem by the
children grouped together III several places
in the native town, was there a sound to
be heard along the whole route except that
caused by the horses and vehicles Of the
procession, deep silence-the custom of the
Japanese on such occaSionS-being pre-
served by every one and although the
streets were thronged on either side, there
was not the least necessity for the police,
for however great the crush, no one at
tempted to pass the curbng stones, a strik-
ing contrast to what one is accustomed to
see in western countries when any great
man is being publicly received.
An Added Dignity.
But it was the general impression of the
foreignersIpresent that this silence and mo-
tionlessness of the people gave a dignity
and charm to the procession which is often
wanting on such occasions when they are
not observed, and, taking the arrange
ments, all together and considering that the
committee had only some four days to