The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-17


ing safety and the peaceful con-
tinuance of the present friendly rela-
tionS and I have no doubt that this
visit will bear fruit in better under
standing and a tightening of existing
bonds. From the bottom of my heart
1 bid a thousand welcomes to the
ships and men of America"
Count Okuma says:
1--WE welcome the American fleet
with our whole heart. We people of
Japan remember with profound graft.
tude the help and guidance of
Viscount Kanko, member of the
house of peers and privy councillor
writes:
'In 1852 an American squadron un-
der the command of Commodore
Perry left the shores of America with
peaceful purposes; it was received in
Japan with warlike preparations. In
1908, another American fleet left an
American harbor amid warlike
rumors. but today it is welcomed in
Japan with universal hospitality. The
visit of Commodore Perry resulted in
Japan's Introduction to the outside
world; the visit of today assuredly
will bind fast forever the ties of in
ternational friendship"
Yankton Is Missing.
London, Oct. IT, 8 p. NIP to this
hour no message had been received
expected to enter the harbor last
night.
She had not been sighted by any
of the craft plying along the coast.
Some uneasiness is felt here over the
possibility of her having been disabled
during the recent storm off the coast
OF IuZon.
The official reception committee.
headed by Vice-Admiral Saito, who
is vice minister of the navy depart
ment. will leave early tomorrow morn
ing the 18th, for Yokohama, and the
party will assemble on board the bat
tleship Mickasa- Upon the arrival of
the American battleships at o'clock
in the morning, the committee will
board the flagship Connecticut and
present the address of welcome to
Admiral Sperry.
After the exchange of official calls
it has been arranged that the Ameri-
can officers shall attend a garden
party, followed by a dinner. at which
the mayor of Yokohama will be host.
In the evening there will be a ball
given in their honor by I<imihira Sufu,
prefectural governor of Kaiagawa-
The scene in Yokohama on the
evening of the fleets arrival is of the
liveliest, the city is crowded with ia
panese and foreigners, and every
house, however poor, is decorated in
honor of the Americans with crossed
ndS] ana lanterns. IN some IN
stances the display on the more pre-
tentious buildings is little short of
magnificent. The spontaneous enthu-
siasm of the populous is unbounded
and unprecedented, even on the occa-
sion of the celebration that followed
the close of the war with Russia few
years ago. On every hand are indica-
tions that the people from every rank
in life will cooperate heartily in the
reception to be directed by the Off
cial representatives of the nation.
The dispatches received from Toxic
yesterday rec,ted that the American
batt1eship encountered a very heavy
storm off the north coast of Luzon on
the 18th and 18th of October. This
heavy weather may have delayed the
Yankton.
Bought Before Spanish War.
Washington, Oct. 1.-THE Yankton
is rated as a naval tender of 975 esti-
mated tons displacement, 1S5 feet in
length, 27 feet six inches beam, 13
feet 10 inches draft and IA knots
speed. She was one of the private
owned merchant vessels purchased by
the navy department in the days pre-
ceding the Spanish war. She is re-
garded as an able seapoat and being
unincumbered with armor or heavy
weights, there is no reason to fear
that she would not be able to weather
any storm through which the armored
ships could come with Impunity. The
naval opinion is that owing to her
small size and lightness she has prob
ably been blown far off of her course
but soon will be heard from.