Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-05-14
SEVERAL KUROK|S
 B|G RECEPTION Thousands Displayed Inter est in Japanese Army oI- fcers' Recent Visit 70 Ma tional Capital
TAFT WAS THE HOST
Collected to Being Served With What He Thought Was mclean Food. Water Iran.portaiioa-Dther News Frem Washington.

Wilmington. May 14.-Begond the absence of military and civic oaradeg, 1t la doabtfg! If a con- ener!ng hero eger was accorded more rous!ng and cordial reception than that with which the doughty Iapanege hero. General Baron Knrokl. vaa welcomed at the na- tlonal capital the other day. The streets were thronged with the curious who were anxious to catch glimpse Of the distinguished gen eraI and hls staff. and hundreds gathered about the entrance of the New willard. where was held the big reception tendered General kn- roki by Secretary Taft. The city has been more or less thronged with uniformed foreign officers ever since the opening of the JameatoWn exposltion, but on the arrival of the Japanese representatives at the big fair, the city took on q cosmo- politan appearance. officers and rep resentatlves Of 90 many different nations being attracted hese as result. After being received by President Roosevelt and diaed and feted by Secretary of War Taft. the visitors scattered in groups Of twos and threea 10 take in the points os interest at the nation ! capital. In the case of the officer. Of higher rank, staff officers from the war department p.ioted their guests around. but some of inc of fcers of lower rank started out for themselves.
 Two Of theze officers after wan dering along Pennsylvania avenHe from the treasury to the capitol, found their way into the famo t3 Harveys restaurant, known to epi- cure. as the best place in the world for seafoods. Having no doatt heard of the toothaomeness of tn Chesapeake Bay oysters. they to1k seats at table and gave their or ders for steamed oysters. On be- ing served they found among the bivalves several baby crabs, abont the size Of dime. which had found their way into the shells Of the oysters during their life and which are. considered dalntie. by tho-. who know Calling the waiter, the spokesman protested vigorously with the best English at his com mand against being served with filthy food. or az he expressed it, oysters infested with bugs and vermin As the entrance of the Japanese had attracted no little attention, and as, in his excitement the indignant Oriental spoke very loudly, the diners at adjacent tables were let in on the joke. which they enjoyed immensely The ancient negro waiter was somewhat non plnssed for an explanation, but matters were soon set right by the proprietor, who explained the presence of tn. tiny erustaceans and assured his patrons that they were "somethi' 2 very fine" Thus assured, they gingerly nibbled at the crabs and on settling their bill pronounced them exceedingly pal atable
 Is the United States to be out done in the matter of water trans portation, now that it has taken up vigorously the question of improv- ing it's inland streams and it's great harbors so as to admit of the quick ened flow of it's ever-ncreasing commerce This is question which Improved waterway enthusiasts are asking themselves, having refer ence to the recently-issued con- snlar report on experiments. which for number of years have been under way in England, Germany and France, to determine the feasibility of the electric" cana and it's possibilities in the way of reducing the costs of freight carriage on inland canals. The re port states that the total cost oi electrical haulage per ton-mile or the canal at Douai, France, is some what less than one-tenth of ont cent. with a traffic of 3,5OO,OOt tons per annnm. One-third of this