The San Francisco call., 1908-04-13
|ALMIRANTE GRAU
ARRIVES IN PORT
Vessel Is Pride of Peruvian
Navy and Is Here to Be
Repaired
Captain Speaks Highly of Allan.
tic Fleet, Which He Saw
While at CallaO

fhe Peruvian cruiser Almirante Grau
TIE pride of the Peruvian navy, ar
rved in port yesterday morning and
,ame TO an anchorage OF the Folsom
street dock As the warship passed
in through the Golden gate 21 guns
were fred-the salute to the nation. As
the stranger steamed up the bay ths
salute was fired to the American war
vessels now in port The Almirante
Grau had barely come to anchoraxe
when Admiral Swinburne paid on ON
cial call on Captain Eduardo HidalSo.
the commander of the visiting vessel.
and shortly after the visit was returned
by Captain Hidalgo.
The Almirante Grau is the latest
acquisition of the Peruvian navy.
which now numbers ships Of war
The vessel is third class cruiser and
was built at Barron in Furness by vic
tor Sons & Maxim at a cost OF $1,250.-
co. 1t Is $40 feet in length, ~ fset
beam and "a feet inches in draft. and
"a knots speed. The battery is two
inch rifles. eight IA Founders. eight IL
Founders and two Is inch torpedo
tubes.
Captain Eduardo Hidalgo IS the hrst
ranking officer of the Peruvian navy
who does sea duty. The admiral OF the
Peruvian navy does not go to sea. but
dictates the movements OF the war
The chief assistants to Captain
HidaIgo are Commander Nuna. Leon.
Commander du Olivera and Chief Enxi-
neer Charles l. Hair
Captain Hidalgo. although 5S year.
of age. looks far younger. He speab
only few words Of English, but hs
an excellent interpreter with him. Jns
captain says he was in Callao wien
the big American feet arrived apl IL
A.
he said, when the Is great battlships
were all illuminated and their sarch-
lights were flashing 1t was thu most
dazzling sight ever witnessed "a those
waters.
Captain HidaIgo gave a bshquet on
his vessel to 20 of the ofacers OF the
American fleet. Ii was most elabor-
ate affair. Judging by the menu cards.
The cruiser only arrived in Callao about
three months ago and was launched
Just one year ago. 1t has come to this
port to go on the drydock to have it's
bottom scraped and such necessary re-
pairs as IL may need after its long trip
from England 1t will be In port II
days. 1t was 19 days making the run
up from CallaO and IL days from
Acapulco Until the Almirante Grau
Joined the Peruvian navy the best ves-
sci in the service was the cruiser
Lima, which is 81 years old.
The Grau has a twin. the Colo
mel Bologuesi, which arrived at
Callao a few days before the Grau left
for this port. When the work on the
Grau is completed it will start back for
its home port and its twin viii come
here to dock.
None of the officers or crew OF the
Grau has been here before The officers
are affable and the men well behaved.
Although but few speak English, they
did their best yesterday to show their
visitors about the ship and gave
hearty welcome to every one who went
on board The uniforms of the officers
are not unlike those Of our own army
but the uniforms OF the marines are OF
a striking nature They are dark blue.
profusely decorated with red braid:
the knee breeches being OF q loose.
fluffy style greatly resembling bloom
ers. They all expressed themselves as
greatly delighted to be here and wsrs
amazed at the immensity of the har-
nor.