The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-16

| ing them II told you l would be here -
exclaimed Evans in glee as Mayor Tay-
| Tor stepped forward and shook his
hand. and the Mayors answer was
equally characteristic when he aske I,
land by the Lord Harry Evans | am
glad to see you here There was no
formal greeting, just a friendly sa ute
| for all and from all, and then over
the cigars the talk drifted to the trip.
the visit at Coast cities, and the final
entry into the harbor.
On deck there was a steady stream
of officers coming over the side to pay
| their respects. Dozens of the fleet
| launches came jumping through the
water from the battleships and cruis-
ers, deposited their loads at the gang
way and then drew off few yards
from the stern and waited.
The officer of the deck was the bust
est man on board and as one of the
officers said, He could certainly get a
position as an announcer at first
class hotel What with giving APP
preaching official launches their official
positions, and keeping foolhardy and
venturesome public launches away
from the landing stage, he had his
hands fill.
Through the maze of launches came
one steamng across from the Virginia,
and a hundred yards away a jackie
lifted for an instant the red starred
flag of an admiral six boys" came
the sharp cdmmand, and that number
stepped forward, wheeled at the gang
way, their heels came together with a
click and they stood at attention. The
launch stopped and as 1T deposited it's
no he ht1or a N
nouncing the admiraPs arrival. follow
ed Immediately afterwards by the ma
rine band. The marines presented
arms. the boatswains plaintive whis-
tie sounded, and Captain Osterhaus and
Commander Grant came to attention
as Admiral Thomas stepped over the
side and on to the deck. A few brief
words and the admiral disappeared
down the gangway to make his official
call.
Another launch approached, and the
officer examined the men in the stern
through his glass. -Four boys" he
announced, and two fell back from the
original line of six. A shorter bugle
call. a few notes by the band, and one
of the captains came aboard.
And so it went Throughout the after
noon, until the after deck of the flag
shin was so crowded with official guests
and officers in full dress, that the few
civilians on board felt almost out of
place and uncomfortab BILE.
BY the middle of the afternoon the
officers and executive committee came
on deck. and then 1t was that the
newspaper photographers who had been
waiting all this time nearly broke their
necks Where else would you find six
admirals gathered in a group. with the
mayor Of a big city and all his official
staff about him? Included in the group
were all the admirals and captains
whose trained intelligence and courage
had helped to make the cruise success
full This was the body of men whom
the world had been watching for
months. but there was no indication
from them that they thought they had
done anything else save their ordinary
duty.
The committee left for shore soon
afterwards. but fortunately 1 was able
to remain behind with some members
of the committee. II was only after
the reception was over that Com
mander Grant could give us an audi
ence to arrange some Of the details for
the trips which were to be taken in the
next two weeks. And during the dis
cussion it seemed IS though the officers
would be almost thankful if they could
escape a few attentions, though there
was no lack Of courtesy in accepting