The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-02

Away back in the year 1883, during the
administration of Mr.. Buchanan, an en-
bassv from the japanese empire visited
this country 10 return visit made by
the squadron under Commodore M. c.
Perry number of years before.
Their visit of ceremony being at an end,
our government determined TO send this
embassy back in a national warship, and
a. the frigate Niagara was at that time
the largest, as well as one of the most
formidable war vessels afloat, she was Sc
l,cted by the navy department for this
mission and sailed early in July, 1850, for
Janan with the embassy ON board.
II was the privilege of the writer to
have served on board the Niagara during
This cruise, and she left our shores just ar
Ter the principal conventions had noml-
mated their candidates for the presi-
dency. ...
As our way out to the China station
was made mainly under sail, notwithstaud'
ing the ship had been equipped with aux
i'iarv machinery of considerable power,
voyages to and from that distant station,
a well as the transmission of mail mat
.s- consumed the best part of year 60
ing and coming. Letters were several
months old when they reached us, and our
sweethearts and wives were fortunate If
answers came back TO them ia a year.
III must be remembered that there We're
no successful submarine cables engirdllng
The earth as now, so that letters and pa :
qers we're looked for most eagerly in that
1ar-off land.
when the Heart Grows weary.
For those who live always at home or
I'D inf lTfG n
constant home association in this blessed
land of liberty it is not easy 20 compre-
bend how weary the heart grows in
waiting three long, long years before re
turning from what seems to us almost
Punishment honorable, it is true, and
yet more difficult to understand how the
affairs of ones patriotism are kept burn
ing and how the love of country and It's
flag may live and grow in hearts that
are obliged by the circumstances TO
pass most of their lives away from and
outside the dearest associations of edu-
cation and friendship.
It is this exile-this having to per-
form duties that are beyond the public
observation and to some extent outside
the pubic sympathy, often in the most
residential regions of the globe, where
we stand guard over the commercial
rights of our countrymen, or on the re-
mote frontiers OF ClNlHZdtlOu, NiSte W.
stand for the great power of right AMI
protection to those domiciled there-that
makes our country so grand to us and
our respect for its flag so profound.
The flag, too, has a personality to us.
Il represents the majesty of our govern
ment of the people and their great pow
Ct. As the symbol of freedoms home it
eXcites enthusiasm wherever it is shown
abroad, and in the hearts of Its freemen
defenders there is felt love and admira-
ton for what it represents that is apt to
he overlooked by those who live where
these privileges are not so esteemed as
by those of us who, accustomed TO long
service abroad, are able to compare these
advantages with those of other countries,
where much of our lives has to be passed.
The Niagara reached Japan in the late
fall and proceeded to Yeddo, as then
known, but as Toxic in this day Our
presence was most welcome and our recep-
tion by the government of Japan was just
as cordial and just as hospitable as that
of our government to their embassy. The
temple of Siogee in the city of Yeddo was
fitted up for the reception and entertain
inent of our officers.
The great city of Yeddo was laid out
daily, during our stay into interesting dis
tricts for visits of inspection.
The routes along which we were es-
corted were, as a rule, closely packed with
natives, who were curious to see the white
foreigner for the first time in their lives
But in no instances during these excur-
SONS was any incivility or rudeness mani
Tested, though on all sides there was that