The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-27
ne OREGON IN THE ORIENT.
r,-r nacKETHAN WRITES OF
,rw SCENES AND PEOPLE.

|.nrnh Friends OF Naval omeer'
-. Was IN Charge of the Hydro
htc once Here, and Others
s,,u ne Interested in His Letter.
-. and Customs Commented
Their Monthly Pay a. I'm
Ia and Omcers aud Men Find Its
.hsstnE Power Double That of
"a. Mexican Dollars Used a. a
Il ,,.tium. OF Exchange.
M, A. A MacKethan. L. 8. A.. made
trends while he was stationed in
,,.s IN charge OF the photographic
n ~. and au OF them will be interested
n. obaeF.ations in the Orient and his
Il u8-n the questions that confront
4 nations in that quarter OF tho globe.
N. Ai,cKethan Is one OF tho oregon
"A .-.,. and letter received by one OF
s,rsunah friends was written on
% NJ Woosung. which Is situated
4 ..,s,v 10 Shanghai much as Tybee is
s.,.rrah. Drawing q feet OF water,
OREGON was unable 70 enter the port
shanghai
q AZ N.rKcthan's letter was never de-
,s Cor publication. or It's tone might
&, ~. t.en ~ a weightier character, but It
none The less interesting because II Is
v,,,,- vein. lie is inclined to believe
80, b.. Is in for long term OF foreign
4 -,t.. but tho prospect does not seem
s-v snrariug, as he hnds much In the
strange countries no visits TO interest and
amuse 800, -. ~.
-. the rip 90 Manila stopped a, sew
.-.t rrs.as on the way. and at each port
Il y san rs feared he would ma the ad-
rtrsf of ths. station or some ship IN need
q .eirars. but his desire 10 join the ore
r,r was granted. good fortune seeming
H. nave marked him for her own HIS hrst
s...,. was ,lr.on the monitor Mouadnock at
#vanfla. but nve days after Joining tnat
II ,ttr he was oris red to Hong Kong 90 JON
~ Oregon. instructions that caused MIN
= pat him IL on the back.
In marked contrast 90 some OF the ships
i watch he has served Is the size OF the
Z0reron and Mr.. Mackethan hnds sa'is-
Z.rt.sn in his duties aboard the monster
,,t,ieship Apart from his work. there
A. many things on the ship itself 10 inter
=. and among them. he mentions the eX-
.so,ipnel qunlities OF the Chinese serv-
srts who work as automatons and attain
fe-fection 81 their service.
4 0snrers and men get paid of In gold n
80 and Of the month. A gold dollar h
v.,-.b two Of the current Mexican dollars
,-at seem 20 be the universal medium q
exchange "a thot quarter, 80 that the sol
E1iers and sailors who receive Their pay
n the orient are lucky. They can buy
they
could were they paid Of In the same hum
ne q Mexican dollars. There r. the al
srboual advantage OF the EXTRAORDINARY
rAe,pness or wearing apparel and other
srsteles white duck suits. for instance,
nat cost the officers SIC a. home. being
/. es-oinnble there FOR 81. These white suits
4 A. worn by the officers during the day,
snd al dinner la the evening they put on
I ife.r regulation blue.
During the stay Of the oregon ~ the
waters OF the Orient Mr. Ma kcihan mas
4 VISITED many o. the ports OF emma am
iapan Al first. he writes, eVery tninE was
u ia keenest interest 10 him. bat ia
4 rUiarity soon began 10 have its ineNi'aoie
sHert and the etraugencss seemed 10 us
appear. Interest has given way 20 mon"'-
Il orv and Il is for things and people Amer
icsr that MIR Nackethan now scare mes.
& A. they are more bizarre than the nollNe
Politically China impresaes the oulceI
~, now as a emou.dering Voleono. All
&rsf.3rs are sending their best ships theIe'
s ana ,hev are watching one another WIN
is,lou. eve. each anxious 60 prevent the
q o,rsr eaining some undue advantage. let'
smrre the officers. entertainments arc IRE
sisrt those OF each nationality taxing
,urr- as hosts. Mir Mackethan comment
"a particularly upon a function az whleh
3D.. Ar,ert-an officers were guests of the
4 seanese. This was AZ Kure. Japan.
q The arrival OF Field Marshal Count Won
10 dersee vas a great event aud a sort
& q Fourth OF july time was indnl@en'
81 s-srv shin IN the harhor hring is salute
81 q n.neteen guns and the magnificent Ger
nan cruiser. on which the field marshal
& s-rved. returning IL. At Shanghai ne
rls.ered the troops and had a great re-
view before departing FOR Taku.
Wlh the hotel feature Of the ports ne
as visited. Mr. MncKethan was not par
.rlnrly Impressed. as they are not con-
q i....i IN tho best style. lie thought one
d custom OF sufficient singulariiy 10 mefl I
d eoument The walters, as rule, know
auis or no English. so the menu cards
have the dishes that appear upon them
3 numbered. The walters have been taught
ue English numerals. and guest orders
iG7.e 2. 70 and anything else he sees.