The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-22
IN ANNAPOLIS BAY
FRENCH REPRESENTATIVES, well
COINED TO AMERICA.
C0URTESIES EXCHANGED
THE AMERICAN VISITORS WARMLY
GREETED.

The Gaulois a Magnificent Specimen
of Naval Architecture and in Beau
tifuI COnditiOn-WOrds of Welcome
Were Brief but Sufficient-Gen.
BruSerc Refers in Feeling Terms
to the Recent Prompt Action OF
America in Extending Aid to His
Stricken Fellow COuntrymen in
Northumberland Commission
ers Made Return Call.
Baltimore, May 21.-The initial recep-
ton of the representatives of the
French republic, who are here to par
ticipate in the ceremonies attendant
upon the unwilling of the Rochambeau
monument in Washington next Friday,
| took place on board the French battle
ship Gaulois in Annapolis roads al
o'clock to-day The weather was ideal.
The scene at Annapolis Bay was
picturesque and inspiring. Besides the
usual contingent of sailing vessels and
small craft dotting The Gay there were
a number of American naval vessels at
| anchor in the Severn. Those included
besides the Dolphin, the auXi larry crui-
ser Gloucester, the battleship INDIANA,
the training ship Chesap sa&e, the mon
itor Terror, the practice ship Standish,
the torpedo boat Gwynn, and the sub
marine boat Holland.
The commissioners representing the
United States, Col. Theodore r. Fling
ham, Assistant Secretary of State H.
H. d. Pierce, and Commander B. r.
Rodgers, embarked on the dispatch
boat Dolphin, commanded by Capt.
Albert Gleaver.
The commissioners were accompa-
MED by several members of the French
embassy at Washington. The Gauiois
and the American escort, the Olympia,
Alabama and Kearsarge, under the
command of Admiral Higginson, were
anchored off Greenberry Point light
house, five miles below Annapolis. The
Gaulois anchored just as the Dolphin
appeared upon the scene.
| The Indiana, which lay between An
napolis and Greenbury Point light
house, was the first to give a sign OF
| welcome to the French warship, by
hosting a signal The alabama re-
sponded with a signal and then the air
reverberated with a cannon boom from
! the Gaulois, the traditional Il guns
being fired. This was followed by two
patriotic airs from the band on board
the Gaulois, one of these being the
"Marseillaise" Immediately thereaft-
err the United States commissioners
! proceeded in a launch to the Gaulois
and as they approached the French
| battleship salute of fifteen guns was
fired.
French Vessel in Fine Shape.
On board the French vessel every
preparation had been made for a. most
pleasing reception of the American
representatives. The giant battleship, a
perfect model of modern naval archi-
lecture, was spick and span, from bow
to stern, and every sailor, marine and
officer was in proper place to give
hearty welcome to the American Wis
itors. AS soon as the commissioners
touched the deck of the Gaulois they
were effusively greeted by Gen. Bru-
gere, Admiral Fournier and their staff
officers.
After greetings had been exchanged
the visitors were escorted to the cabin,
| which had been tastefully decorated,
and where the brief ceremony of well
come and responses at once took place.
Assistant Secretary Pierce spoke on
behalf of the government of the United
| States as follows:
Formal Greetings Exchanged.
"General-This commission now
present has been charged by President
| Roosevelt to welcome you and your
colleagues to the United States in his
name and to express his hope that you
will enjoy your stay in our country
and carry away with you an agreeable
| impression of the United States, its
institutions and people. On behalf of
our President, I bid you welcome"
Gen. Brugere was quite as brief. but
| no less cordial than Assistant Secre-
tary PIERCE in his response. He said:
"Gentlemen-I thank you in the
name of President Loubet and the
French people for the kind welcome
which you have accorded to us. 1t
is a very great pleasure to me and
my colleagues to visit you on such an
occasion of international esteem as the
| unwilling of the Rochambeau monu-
nient, and I am sure we will carry
back to France the most agreeable
recollection of our stay in your midst
The Aid to Martinique.
"Since our departure, one incident has
occurred which will stir the heart Of
| every Frenchmhan in grateful recogni-
ton of American friendship, and this
| is the immediate and munifcent aid
which was extended to our stricken fell
low countrymen on the Island of Mar
| Unique.
Gentlemen thank you for your
| generous welcome"
The American commissioners spent a
pleasant half hour on the Gaulois and
then returned to the DOLPHIN. in the
meantime having paid formal calls
upon the Olympia and Alabama. Later
| in the afternoon the French commits
sioners made a return call upon the
American commissioners on board the
Dolphin, after which the Dolphin re-
| turned to Annapolis.