The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-30
GREAT JAPANESE,
NAVAL REVIEW
a Brief Account From Our
Regular Correspondent
in the Far East.
KOBE, JAPAN, April 80, 1900.
q the Editor OF The Item:

KOBE, JAPAN, April 80, 1900
20 the Editor OF The Item:
Let the Sunter Gameoocs cro" once
more, the Item puff With pride aud the
friends Lave left 10 Sumter think not
shat haveforgotsen them. This day
T had the honor Of representing the
enly American newspaper. (exoeps
one. J at the Emperor's review of the
japanese feet. That exception was the
New York Herald. suppose DOW the
Item will have to issue colored sup
plement since it has ranked With the
Herald
As soop as l les,aed that there
would be ehance for foreign pews-
paper neu to be present, made appli
cation 10 the Governor OF Kobe district
For permit, bat vas Informed that all
he aad we're already distributed among
che japanese officials aud attaches. He
kindly referred ne to Captain Ito, who
granted my request and thus | was ooe
Of f7e foreigners on the Toyobasbi to
eey;ew the parade. They were the edi
tors OF she two Kobe papers, one Yoko.
hama. Tie New York Herald and
Sumter Item. 90 beard we're numbers
of japanese editors. judges and LEGAL
officials. The coosuls of the various
nations we're oo board the. Cruiser
Akasbi, whilst his majesty, the Emper
OF and snite we're on the batt'esh'p
Asama.
No one vas allowed to come aboard
sishous going through the Custom
House and ooly oa a Custom House
boat.
The arrangements may be said to
have been perfect 10 every respect No
aoats Of any description other than the
naval forces were allowed within fixed
distance of the feet. No such crowd
iee of excursion boats acd private
Yachts as iu our own waters. AT every
hundred yards was Sampaa with two
policemen to stop all craft.
Although the Emperor did not ar
rive until ten O'Clock. promptly on
schedule time, every ooe had TO be at
the wharf at seven O'clock or remain
behind. All persons not wearing a
apiform must sppear in silk hat and
Prince Albert coat. Some of toe bats
on that boat would 90 to put 10
museum of ancient history. ooca a
collection of old shapes you have never
seen. There is not colorea preacher
ia .ne backwoods of Pudding Swamp
that could match one of them They
were as proud of ,bec, as If they bad
been New York's latest.
The feet were al: at anchor in four
columns excepting the Asama bearing
she Emperor and the escort ship When
they hove in sight the salute of Il guns
vas fred from every boat. and it made
quite a noise can tell you that. As't
vas impract;cabie for the whole fleet to
pass in review of oue ship they reversed
shipps. and the Asama went down on
the outside of the column aoc returned
through the center coming to anchor at
she bead of the feet. The captains of
each ship then went abroad to pay bis
sespeo,s as did the coosuls later. There
was then tifhn (laocb) served to 49o
Of the officers and naval attaches on
board the oex bastlesbip Sbikishima
5uss received from Eoglaod.
A similar repass was served on board
the Toyohasbi for the press and o'v'i
officials. It was combination of Japa
nese food aud European cold lunch,
which. after being out 90 the sea 10 the
sun for Eve hours, we enjoyed very
much.
The ships were all illuminated at
aigbs ana made p'etsier picture than
during the day. The hills OF Kobe
we're crowded with people Watching the
sigh. whilst foreigners had all the
Yachts ob,aiuabie from which to vie"
sne display.
Notwithstanding the large number
of United States aod Eogiish warships
at Yokohoma, not one was sovlted to
be present, the reasco Cor which | have
ros been able to learo Consequently
not one OF them was present. a
French aud Russian mao Of war we're
unb,dden goeste-or should say wit
nssses 10 the harbor, GO oos,ce being
taken of them whatsoever. The latter
was probably here to size up the fse'
in expectation of the coming trouble
no one here expects aay
immediate outbreak between Russia and
japan, all are of the opinion that
sooner or later it will come.
Yours sincerely,
IRVING A. RYrrENBERG