New-York tribune., 1908-10-19
JAPAN GREETS FLEET
>OFFICERS REACH TOkIO.
Repoir7ng the KearsTge-Adm'ral
.Sperry's Speech.

TOXIC oct 1e.-Rear Admiral Sperry' com
.,.o5e- in chief of the Atlantic battleship -heet
,,oor,,an1ed bv the squadron commanders anu
-,.g,. Of the various ships, arrived in TOXIC
g IN o,cIoct this morning, coming by speclaI
train from Yokohama
The marty was received with unoodnoeo en-
,nuxiasn by great crowds that throngeo aoou'
che station when the train arrived The Weather
was hne-
Yokohama oct lS-Storm battered but mag
nifoeut the American battleship feet lies IN 'lie
hsrbor. the entire assembage OF Warshlps ii0N
ing a display unprecedented IN the hlseoi! -
Yokohama Soon after the ships came 10 an
cho- The mist which had shut out the We" Oh
.heir coming cleared and a light breeze carFieH
,,o,, tho smoke from the saluting guns, reveal
ing from the shorefront the lines OF the WINE
American ships of war. backed by the gray OF
,h rananese Scores of small craft chartered by
.n5i,;5,,els and associations darted in and out
among the battleships, the American Aslauc
Association being among those to give Ine
1ear4iest welcome. Two thousand school chii-
dren sang the American national anthem
The sf1Ips show the effect OF the tremendous
hsttering by the waves, which is described ov
old officers as the worst they ever encouhuereu-
The Kearsarge which was separated from the
aeet piclxed up the others early this morning
sperry said Immediately after anchoring that
ne was glad TO reach Japan, and that he greatly
appreciated the evidences Of a sincere welcome
the arrangements for which appeared 10 be per-
feet Commander John A. Dougherty, the
/ American naval attache at Toxic, who came
here 10 take part in the welcome TO the Meet
boarded The Connecticut this morning and dis
cussed the programme with the admiral
The moment the feet dropped anchor the ad-
rnirais hastened from the hagships Of the various
divisions 10 the flagship Of the feet, the Con-
necticut. which also was boarded by japanese
: subordinate officers vino came 10 arrange de-
tails Soon afterward the commander in chief
ens the other admlrals. accompanied by their
STATS. entered motor boat, and went TO the
flagship Mfkasa of the japanese feet TO pay an
ofHcial call on Tice-Admiral 1iuin. The Jap
snese admirals Immediately returned the CALI
Tice-Admiral Ijuin. resplendent with gold lace
sna decorations was warmly welcomed by
Admiral Sperry on Board the Connecticut. After
3 brief visit the japanese departed, and as they
went down the side the Japanese flag was
broken out at the mainmast and the guns fired
q salute
short time later Francis 3. 1ooTnis, for
nnerly First Assistant Secretary of State and
! now commissioner 10 the Toxic exposition, ac-
companied by Mrs. L.oomis John c. O'Laughlin
and Mrs O'Laughlin and Acting Consul General
Rabbit called on Admiral Sperry. A salute OF
I fifteen guns fired they left the ship. In
! the time visits were exchanged among the
captains OF all the vessels.
= The Mayor and Governor also called on the
admirsI and later the reception committee, the
sxpokesrnen Of which NJ Mato, boarded the
ttSSunnecticut and bade the admiral and his men
Lv.lcone in behalf Of the nation He thanked
sshe Americans for their evidences of friendship
IaS
I'm similar vein.
In the afternoon the garden party given by
ffhe Mayor Of Yokohama was attended by many
sofzcers and great crowds Of civilians, but the
ssEeather Was unfavorable and interfered with
lshs success OF the entertainment Everywhere
AeS,out the streets the American officers and men
5sre treated with the greatest courtesy, being
iSssluted always by the police and japanese sol
~diers- Crowds continued TO swarm the streets
fzoout the waterfront all day. and at nightfau
magnificent illuminations lighted the entire city
Electric lights and lanterns swinging
teveTywhere, and at a prominent point huge
:6esign, in which the word Welcome
spelled with brilliant lights. was surrounded by
hundreds of American and japanese flags. The
lantern parade contained many flower floats
and many thousands Of japanese in quaint,
bright costumes were in line.
All the japanese ships were outlined tonight
in electric lights, and each carried American
Sag At its mainmast
Several dinners were given this evening in
honor OF the American officers. at Of which
the Mayor host and Admiral Sperry the
guest or honor. This followed by a ball
given by Governor Sufu Of Kanagawa. at which
fifteen hundred persons were present. In his
speech az the dinner Admiral Sperry said that
the object Of the cruise the development OF
she fleet fer peaceful purposes. He believed that
nothing ever likely TO occur to break the
Traditional friendship Of America and Japan.
II is understood that Captain ". B. Potter
ef the Vermont will take command Of the sec
cnd division at Hong Kong