New-York tribune., 1908-01-21
ANOTHER DINNER 1T RIO
Foreign Minister ERtertains 4mer-
ican Officers.

Rio de Janeiro, Jan. 20.-The Brazilian Minis
ter Of Foreign Affairs, Baron de Rio Branco,
gave a dinner tonight to the officers of the
American feet in the main haIl of the Monroe
Palace a thousand persons were present. The
hall was decorated with masses of flowers and
thousands of electric lights. The tables. which
were placed around the long rows Of columns
were occupied by high Brazilian officials and
representatives of society, in addition to a hun
dred more officers from the fleet and officers
of the Brazilian army and navy. The flags of
Brazil and the United States, intertwined, were
draped about the walls.
The warships at anchor i'll the roadstead were
illuminated with colored lights, and threw their
searchlights over the city and its surrounding
hills and one another.
At the close of the dinner Baron de Rio
Branco made a speech which the American
Ambassador, Irving B. Dudley, responded. He
said:
The usual objects for which armies and navies
are instituted are insure domestic tranquility
and provide for defence against foreign foes.
Nations TO which conquest Is the only end in
view have not absolutely ceased 10 exist, but
conquest is eVaneSCent and is in day
demned by all nations, at least, by all at
the time interested, an affrcnt TO civilization.
But navies in times of peace have other i'm
portant roles, and we have been deeply impressed
during the last week with the presentation Of
one OF these roles. which has no relation 10 war,
but makes solely Tor peace and friendship among
nations. The value of naVies a diplomatic
force and the promoter Of international good will
has been many times illustrated. a striking in
stance may be found in the recent visit of Ad-
miral Bacelar and his ships to- Hampton Roads
and 10 New York. which was profoundly appre-
ciated by the President and the people of the
United States.
Nor can we for a moment doubt, Mr.. Min
lister, behold the manifest evidence
OF fraternity and good fellowship between our
countrymen at this great and brilliant function,
by which your exceIency honors Admiral Evans
and his five hundred officers by which. in truth,
your excellency signalzies the traditional friend
ship OF Brazil for the United States, that the in
ternational good feeling which are ever striv-
ing to augment has been promoted to a substan-
tial degree by the coming Rio de JaneiTo of
the American fleet.
"As between Brazil and the United States"
cabled our President to yours a few days ago,
these ships not of war, but messengers
of friendship and good will. commissioned to
celebrate with you the long continued and never
to be broken auaity and mutual heIpfulness OF
two great republics
This very true twenty-five years ago.
and yet how truer now. one Of our greatest
statesmen has said that the friendship between
tle CAlted states and BrelzA Is singuIarly
strong, that the ties that join them are init
mate and permanent / may add that their
political institutions WondrOusly similar;
that while preserving proper independence one
of the other, they have rarely failed work in
unison They have Joined in a community of
constitutional principles and precepts, political
ideals and commercial interests.
The mutual sympathy Of the two governments
anu peoples Is as natural as II Is beDencltl.
Never words more sincere than those
uttered by Secretary Root. The loyal friend of
Latin-AneTica-" 10 use your excellencys apt
and kindly expression in recent public utter
ances. when he telegraphed your excellency in
appreciation Of the splendid reception given to
our fleet: 1T is delightful TO feel that the same
friendship which was so generously extended 10
me in 1906 remains undiminished and is
tended TO my countrymen in 1908"
Allow me, Mr. Minister, in thanking you for
your kind words with reference to country
and our President TO propose in his name the
health Of the saEaciouS statesman and wise
ruler, President Penna, and the prosperity of
this republic of vast domain and grand and
growing achievements and illimitable future