Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-09-08
Naval Officers Are Confident That
Vessels VIII Eventually Make
A Friendly Call.
AND they EXPECT ROYAL WELCOME
Opinion Unanimous at Washington
That Pacific Cruise Will Occasion
No III Fceling-Recent Purchase OF
Five Thousand Torpedoes Is Taken
To Mean Simply Precautions.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Sept T.
Naval officers are unanimous in their
opinion that the coming cruise of the
Atlantic fleet To- the Pacific will oc-
casion no i'll feeling or suspicion on
the part of Japan Even those officers
who look upon Japan's latest moves
with some little apprehension as To
what the future policy of the Japa.
ncse may be said today that the cruise
to the Pacific will help rather than
hurc .lapans future relations with tho
United States.
1t is fully expected that the fleet
when 1t reaches the Pacific will find
time sooner or later to touch mt ia
pan. and it is confidently believed
especially by officers who have nj
ready visited that country. tha' the
American naval officers will be royal
ly treated. At the Japanese Embassy.
when the announcement was first
made tnat the fleet was going TO the
Pacific, OFFICIALS said frankly that
they hoped the battle ships might
touch ut Japan. so that the govern
| ment could do all in it's power to re-
turn the courtesy tosGeneral .Kuroki
by the American people. This. they
''e@'t' "V'iu bt an
| FOR Japan TO show to the American
people her true colors ana demon
strate how idle the lingo talk of the
Japanese newspapers. bent on stirring
up anti-American sentiment, has been
When it was first announced early
in July that the Atlantic fleet was to
be transferred TO the Pacific generai
cry went up that this policy was dan
gerous to the peace of the world and
meant war with Japan. Despite tue
TACT that the fleet was going on n
simple practice cruise and not ms n
| hostile demonstration against any ma
ton. 1t was pointed out that the ia
pancse would misunderstood our mr..
pose, and might even open hostilities
before the fleet got through Magellan
Strait. When these reports were
brought to his attention Viscount
Aokt the japanese ambassador, in
an intervitw. assured the people that
Japan would make no protest against
anything this government wished to
do. and that President Roosevelt was
at liberty TO send his fleet when and
where he liked.
Approves of the Cruise.
That the Japanese people fully ap
proved OF the fleets cruise was also
shown conclusively by the spirit of the
Japanese press.
Naval officers, when questioned to-
day rs to how they thought Japan
would look upon the cruise. n,
whether the opposition would attempt
to exploit this move for again tanning
into flame anti-American sentiments
declared that they believe that tho
assurances of friendship for more
than anything else to bring about bet
ter feeling between The two nations.
II Is whispered quietly among lire
officials that they fully expect to visit
Japan before the fleet returns to the
Atlantic. Many of these officers have
already been entertained in Japan.
and continue to believe that the as.
surances OF friendship for the United
States, which were then expressed. still
exist among officers of the japanese
navy. 1t must also be remembered.
that before the fleet arrives on the
Pacific Secretary Taft will have
stopped at Yokohama. and it is con.
fidently expected that the Japanese
government will avail itself of this
opportunity TO show the true spirit
OF its friendship for the United States.
AS soon as Secretary Taft has made
out his itinerary. Viscount Aoki
ciiied nj the State Department to
place Japanese war ship nj his dis
posal and to make any arrangements
which could in any way facilitate his
trip and show him the courtesy of
the japanese people.
Differences are Trivial.
Some naval officers realize that
tire is possibility that some new
diplomatic bitches may occur between
Japan and the United States before
The fleet starts, or while the fleet Is
on its way. These may come from
some now outbreak on the Pacific
coast. from some complications arts
ing out of the exclusion laws or pos
sibly from some difficulty which may
be experienced in preventing Japa-
nese coolies from crossing the Next
can border. These questions. how
ever will be trivial at the most ana
cannot result in any serious breach.
The question of Japanese expansion.
which is occupying to great extent
the attention of the world, Is not be.
licvcd by naval officers to involve the
United States
While the purchase of 5000 torpc-