The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-07
GLAD HAND SQUADRON HOME
ADMIRAL STOCKTON FOUND
JAPANESE VERY CORDIAL

The Glad Hand Squadron, as the sailors
called 1.-THE FIRST class armored cruisers
and Washington, in command OF
Rear Admiral Charles Herbert Stockton
splsshed anchors on Tompkinsville yes
terday morning. They called it the Glad
Hand Squadron because in the course Of
its two months visit to French ports Presi-
Dent Falieres said nioe things about the
United States and Ambassador White,
Ambassador White presented some pretty
bouquets Of speech to President Fanieres.
the Minister Of Marine complimented Rear
Admiral Stockton and Rear Admiral Stock
ton ocmplimented the Minister Of Marine.
The sailormen on the side did their best
to boost along the entente cordiale and
everybody had . lovely time.
It was Rear Admiral Stockton's first
and perhaps his last opportunity to fly the
twin stars on q blue field. After forty-six
years service in the navy he is to be retired
next October. He was promoted In January.
1903, but il wasn't until last June. when the
special service squadron was formed to
visit the maritime exposition on Bordeaux
and to pay visits OF courtesy TO French
ports, that he had a chance to fly his flag
at sea. In about a month, after o~verhauling,
the Tennessee and Washington, under Rear
Pacific az the van, perhaps, OF the great
feet under Admiral Bob Evans.
There is one thing that l want to make
- - -E-- 1.-lA-- ..-.A.-
day. There was absolutely no friction
between the Japanese officers and the
American officers while the Tennessee
and the Washington were OF Brest with
the Chitose and the Tsukuba. On the
l and several OF my officers met
the Japanese at dinner q at a garden
party and the Japanese told us they were
delighted with the splendid reception
they got while the Chitose and the Tsukuba
were at jamestown M New York. They
talked about the United States in the most
friendly way. We hadn't much time to
exchange courtesies. because the Japanese
ships did not reach Brest until July -
and we sailed for home the mex day. As
for my sailors receiving orders not to
mingle with the Japanese sailors. that
is sheer nonsense, because my men hadn't
shore leave and neither had the Japanese
sailors.
Il think the French people were much
more apprehensive about the possibility
Of trouble between America and Japan
than we were or the Japanese were. You
see the presence OF q ~Japaneee teet and
an American feet together in the harbor
Of Rrest appealed to the French love OF
~ l...o UAAx, ,nxa ,1wf1.a ann
pose. remembering the services OF Am
bassador Cambon after the Spanish Ameri-
can war, 10 orange a lot of functions
where the Amerit an officers inc japanese
officers would be brought together. 30
they were greatly disappointed when the
Japanese didn't arrive until the day be-
fore We had to- sail
Ambassador White had invited the
President Of France to visit the Tennessee
while we were at Bordeaux. but at that time
N. Fsdlieres was so much occupied with the
troubles in the Midi that he couldn't come.
After a six days stay at Bordeaux we went
to the lie d'Aix in the roadstead of the port
OF Rochefort. There We visited the house
Napoleon occupied after Waterloo and while
he was trying to escape. The house 10
kept exactly in the condition that it was
when the Emperor was there. Then we
vent to historic La Rochelle. a port seldom
visited by American warships, where the
inhabitants, from the Mayor down, seemed
delighted at our coming.
when we got TO Brest President Fall
Heres sent US an invitation 10 visit Paris
and we made up a party, myself and six
OF my officers, and paid our respects TO NJ.
E.yl.A--- - u,l., IN ~ tha Elx,ax. W. .ak
at breakfast with forty of the most dis
tinguished men in France. Premier Gle
menceau being one Of them. The President
made an address expressing the warmest
friendship for America. to which Am
bassador White replied suitably. That
night we occupied NJ. Fallieres's DO at the
Opera and also used his private box at the
Coincide FRANCHISE"
The bareback accident which cost the
lives OF men and officers OF the battleship
Georgia caused a good deal Of unfavorable
comment abroad, Admiral Stockton said.
English and French officers expressed won-
der that with the American theory Of open
turret construction there were not more
disastrous accidents.
The Tennessee and Washington left
Brest on July Is and made a twelve day
trip Of it returning. steaming at 10 and II
knots an hour. Part OF the time was &C.
cupied in wireless telegraphy experiments.
One Of the most difficult problems OF the
wireless for warships is the locating exactly
OF messages that come dribbling through
space. The Tennessee and the Washington.
often fifty miles apart. practised at locating
zach other to a ships length. On one
occasion while the experimenting was
going on OF Lands End the warships got q
lot OF wireless messages that weren't meant
for them at all. A Cunarder talking to
Lands End spilled a lot Of private and
personal small talk on to the decks of the
American cruisers. and they got in touch
unexpectedly with the Marconi station
there. which whispered things about market
rates and political gossip hat had nothing
whatever to do with a busy warship.
Admiral Stockton expects to haul down
his flag and report at Washington before
many days. Il am a man with four homes, "
he said. and I am in something OF a quah-
Diary "a to where I shall live when my
active service is over. Having married a
wife from New York. 10 Is Of course impos-
sible for me TO live In Philadelphia. my