Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-18
EXTENDS
RARE WELCOME
TO BATTLESHIPS
VESSELS AT ANCHOR IN BAY
OF TOXIC
YOKOHAMA THRoNGED WITH
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS
Magnificent Reception Marked by
Gorgeous Display Of Stars and
Stripes, Cheering Of Multi
tude and SaIutes
[Ry AssoeIated Press.I

YOKOHAMA, Oct. 18. - Sixteen
American battleships, constituting
"A the Atlantic fleet on it's peaceful
cruise around the world, are riding at
anchor today in the bay Of Toxic, oc-
cupying a post of honor in front of a
like number of Japanese men-of-war.
the white hulls of the American YES
sells affording a strong contrast to the
cumber-hued ships of the Japanese.
In the bay, alive with bunting, gayly
decorated tugs and steamers loaded
with sightseers. and steaming to and
fro and launches from the shore and
the war vessels are bearing uniformed
officers on their official visits of well
come.
Preceded by it's tender, the Yankton.
the American fleet entered the harbor
in fog that hung over the bay, and
all dropped anchor at $50 this (Sun-
day. morning, one half hour later than
the time scheduled, the delay being
due to the fog.
First Glimpse of Fleet
The first realization that the fleet
was near at hand came at S:45 a. M,
when the guns from one of the six
teen Japanese battlesnips lying out
| side the breakwat'r, fired salute as
the Yankton appeared through the
! fog. In few minutes the fog lifted
| slightly, enabling the watchers on bay
and shore to get a view of the fleet as
it steamed slowly in in single line
formation.
The fleet proceeded to it's anchorage
and anchored in four columns in front
| of the Japanese fleet.
| When anchors were cast, a reception
committee representing every depart
ment of the Japanese government and
accompanied by attaches of tie various
] foreign embassies and legations, and
/ the mayor of Yokohama, boarded the
| flagship Connecticut and officially
welcomed Rear Admiral Sperry, his
officers and men to Japan.
! Arrive at Dawn
1t was in the gray hours before
dawn this morning, after considerable
, anxiety, when Americas great white
battleship fleet was dinnly discerned
maneuvering off the entrance to Toxic
bay, while sixteen warships, the pride
, of Japan, in sober color, swung at their
, anchor buoys outside of the break
water encircled by low, purple hills.
; Already Yokohama was awake and
} the streets were crowded with excited
4 people streaming from the surrounding
country afoot, in 'rikshaws or in car
Il riageS, making their way to the water
front and to the hills overlooking the
bay to get their first glimpse of the
i great fleet.
From thousands of fiagstaffs and
j buildings and every point in the big
city floated the Stars and Stripes, and
| the streets for miles in length were al
most walled with intertwined American
and Japanese emblems.
The bay itself was fairly af1ame with
bunting where tugs and steamers gaily
decorated with streamers and pennants
lined the wharves awaiting thousands
of excursionists who were going out to
meet the fleet.
Trains All Crowded
Incoming trains throughout the night
were crowded, and by morning already
practically every vantage point COM
manding view of the approach of the
sixteen big ships rounding Honmou
point, stretching two miles toward
Mississippi buoy, was occupied by tens
of thousands eagerly awaiting the COM
ing naval pageant.
AS the hours passed and daylight
dawned it revealed an inspiring scene
afioat and ashore.
Even the early hours made it ap-
parent that all expectations of greas
crowds and an enthusiastic welcome to
the American fleet would be exceeded
and that all records in the outpouring
of popular sentiment would be sur
passed.
The enthusiasm of the people was
evidently sincere, though mixed with
the natural curiosity to see the big
fighting ships from America after their
long and successful cruise, which has
marked new epoch in naval history.
Crowds Mostly Japanese
Foreigners we're in minority in the
crowds, but wherever they appeared
they were treated with even exception
al courtesy.
AS the sixteen battleships rounded
Honmou point and came through the
entrance to the bay they were accom<
panied by the Japanese cruisers Soyas
Magami and Tatsuta, commanded by
Rear Admiral Murakami.
Passing up the coast off Yokosuka,
the first note of real welcome was
sounded when a fireworks salute was
! fired by the Americas Friends associ-
alton, composed entirely of Japanese,
! who had assembled at Kurihama on
the site of the Perry monument. The
fleet responded by gracefully dipping
! colors q
When it came closer in the Meet was
met by seven big ocean liners chartered
by the prefecture OF Kanagawa, carry
ing 1000 persons, including many for
eigners.
bombs sent up from various points, and
the roar of voices was heard even in
the city of Yokohama.
Mikado's Vessels Salute
When the fleet rounded Honmou
point and came into full view of the
city of Yokohama the sixteen assem-
bled Japanese warships began firing
the salute to the rear admiral in COM
mand of the American fleet.
The roar OF the guns, the bursting
fireworks, bombs, shrieks of steam ST.
rens and accompaniment OF deep notes
from the liners filed the air with over
whelming sound.
Ashore a veritable bedlam broke loose
and words fail to describe the enthusi-
asm of the assembled thousands
When the American fleet finally came
to anchor it presented an imposing
spectacle. Thirty-two great warships
occupied four long columns of eight
each. the Americans taking the place
of honor in the fore front, the Japanese
Wun- uwmN