Evening star., 1900-03-22
ROYALTY WELCOMED
Our Soldiers Had a Fine Time at
Gibraltar and Malta.
SHOWN EVERY POSSIBLE COURTESY
No Wonder the Boys Think Highly
of Their English Hosts.
MANY INSPIRING INCIDENTS

~ I'm .
The following extract from a letter writ
ten by Washingtonian, who was an Of
ficer of the 1st District Regiment. and is
now with volunteer regiment in the Phil
ippines, is of interest, describing, among
other matters, the courteous attentions
shown the United States troops by the
British at Gibraltar and Malta:
"I presume the papers have kept you
posted as to our movements, and may also
perhaps have made some allusion to the
exceedingly courteous and very agreeable
attentions shown us by the British officers
of both the army and the navy at Gibraltar
and Malta. / am sure there is no officer OF
this regiment who would not feel disap-
pointed II our people at home failed to ap-
preciate fully the heartiness of the welcome
extended to US by these fine fellows and the
true ring of friendly sympathy in every act
and word We have not been long away
from home, but doubt If there is officer or
man in this outfit whose heart has not
learned to bound at hearing his own tongue,
spoken by real friends, in strange lands.
And the English have been so sincere and
straightforward in their manifestations of
friendliness, entirely free from the in
Sular reserve and prejudice, so cordial, and
81 llht our OWL 1lltl lildl l1ltl
have disarmed all criticism and made US
loyal friends.
stopping at Gibraltar.
when We reached Gibraltar, after eleven
days at sea, there was much to do and
so many interesting things to be seen that
the thirty-six hours of our stay there were
crowded full. We met many royal good
fellows of both branches of the British
vice, and they did everything that could be
done to make our stay both pleasant and
profitable. There We're eight ships of the
channel fleet in the harbor and We paid the
usual courteSieS passed them on
way to anchorage. Before We reached the
allotted position the British admiral had
an officer alongside us to call the COM
manding officer. We visited back and forth
that day and the next, and when left
for Malta there having been an accident
to our steam Windlass which delayed get
ting our anchor and kept us in harbor un-
til dark, they gave US a sendoff that was
appreciated all the more because it was
expected. We were some little distance
away from the first ship on their left flank
as we lay at anchor, and moved
down toward them the night was so dark
we could not make out what was going
on on board the fleet.
Wonderful Enthusinsm
But, our course necessitated passing
close to them, We soon found out Our
band had been waiting for hours, everybody
expecting momentariIy to start away, to
play out the harbor, and started off in
good season with God Save the Queen"
When We were close enough to the Mars
the nearest ship in the line) to make out
her people we found that the crew We're all
on deck and manning the rail- Our men.
of course, We're also all on deck to see the
sights and in moment We had them all
at attention along the rail. The Mars band
played The Star Spangled Banner" and
abreast the shin be
stopped and at the word of command the
crew gave us three hearty cheers. Tnds-
criminate shouting and yelling has always,
In this regiment, been cause for tempo
rary sojourn in the mill followed by an
unpleasant ten minutes with summary
court and our men kept quiet until the
loose and gave the Britishers their own
with interest. Each ship of the fleet re-
peated the kindly goodbye as we passed
and as we went by the last one our band
leader had something very like an
inspiration. and after his salute and the
reply by the British band he touched off
"Auld Lang Syne." which was so sug-
gestive and so full of significance when
considered in connection with recent events
that it worked both sides up and put such
a spontaneous force into their lungs that
they fairly ripped the night wide open.
Royal Welcome at Malta.
When we reached Malta the British
were ready for us and nothing could have
been more cordial or sincere than our well
ccme, our stay and our farewell We lay
at anchor three days, and they We're all
too full of things to do and things to see
and people to meet. If We could have re-
mained week We might have covered all
the ground laid out for US. The colonel and
his staff were dined by Admiral Sir John
and Lady Fisher at Admiralty House on
Tuesday evening, and met there a half
dozen officers of the army and navy with
their wives. Later the same evening the
entire party went to the governors palace,
where a musicale had been arranged in
their honor The next day the colonel and
staff went to luncheon at the governors
palace. General Grenfel 0he governor) be-
ing widower the affair was of the stag
variety, but was enjoyable nevertheless.
The governor and his staff and dozen or
so Of other officers-both army and navy
were very pleasant companions and every
body enjoyed the function. On Tuesday
morning the regiment was landed on the
quay, where the band of the Sd Battalion
Royal Warwickshire Rifle Regiment met
and escorted it through the Calacara Gate
rade. where General Grenfel inspected and
reviewed us. He complimented the regi-
ment highly and seemed astonished that
our men were so big. AS a matter Of fact
they do seem to how up taller than the
English, and many English officers re-
marked that they were las large as the
Guards" Our men all seemed to be on
their mettle and did their prettiest, and,
while their best is all right, they would
have done still better If they could have
carried their arms. But that of course,
was out of the question. They wore the
khaki for the first time that day, the uni
forms having been issued on the passage
from Gibraltar to Malta, and looked we'll.
The commanding officer and staff were
mounted on Arab stations procured
through the kindness of General GrenfeVs
chief of staff-Colonel Spence-at the race
track and polo grounds belonging to the
mess. Talk about horses! 1t was only a
latent feeling thSt something was due in
appreciation Of the kindness the Britishers
had shown us that prevented the surrepti-
tious removal Of at least one animal
The Admirals Courtesy.
"The fleet needed practice, as Admiral
Fisher put 1t, although what with torpedo
work. boat drills. large and small gun prac-
tice and a few other things going on all the
time they seemed to have about as much