The Washington herald., 1908-02-15

hio Jenelros jan =
In describing the arrival. reception, and
stay of the American fleet in this port
the impulse is almost irresistible 20 use
superIatives. There can be no error Of
Judgment or of taste In employing the
comparative degree, for strict accuracy
compels the assertion that never was an
American feet greeted more cordially
and never entertained more elaborately
in a foreign port than in this port, the
Bay Of All Beauties" and IN this city
fast becoming the Paris Of the western
hemisphere.
The reception Of the feet wa, a decided
surprise The officers were confident that
the welcome would be cordial that tho
expressions Of politeness. customary on
such occasions. would ring true. that the
entertainments would be in keeping with
the situation. No one doubted that Brazil
would DO the handsome thing. 1t was
expected that the officials would exert
themselves TO say pleasing things and
provide receptions and dinners and would
exchange calls ana observe punctiliOusly
all the niceties that international courtesy
demands But no one expected what
might be called strictly an uprising Of the
people.
It was easy as a matter Of seamanship
TO sail into Rio harbor. It was as hard
G Job as any American admiral ever
tackled. as a matter Of parting with
friends, to sail out
The First Welcome.
It was about o'clock on Sunday morn
ing. January Y, when the feet passed
Cape Frio. seventy-five miles to the east
OF Rio. Far back on the hills Is a signal
station. 1t used the international code
and the flags that snapped in the breeze
said:
Welcome, American feet!"
Sounds pretty good. said a signal Off
GER Then came the Yankton which had
been sent on ahead. to meet Admiral
Evans and inform him OF the plans for
anchoring and receptions and the like,
Just before noon three Brazilian war
ships were observed about dozen miles
out from Rio. On they came and bugles
were sounded and rails manned and sa-
lutes exchanged.
The day was beautiful. Old Sugar Loaf
and Corcovado and ali the other peaks
seemed to be standing up with the dignity
of stiff salutes, and then came a peep
into the narrow entrance of the harbor.
The place was alive with small boats.
The signal stations were all a-iutter with
welcome flags.
Slowly the Connecticut led the way. and
when just beyond old Fort Santa Cruz
on the eastern side, doomed a salute to
the port. From a little rock all smOOthed
of and fairly polished, given up entirely
to fort. Villegagnon, came the answer
ing salute. Instantly the whistles Of
hundreds OF craft were set loose and tied
down.
Soon magnificent BotafOgo Bay unfolded
itself with that wonderfully beautiful long
reach of avenue, BairO- Mar, running four
miles in a crescent from the heart Of the
city toward Sugar Loaf, all set out in
artistic landscape treatment. 1t was black
with the people. Then the fleet approach
ed the city proper With a glass one
could make out that the hills. the houses,
the waterfront were black with the peo-
pie.
Persistent Wait of the Masses.
Moreover. that population had been
feet was scheduled to come In on
ITday. All of Saturday and far into
light tens Of thousands had waited
the hills and waterfront. They We're
4, we We're told, early on Sunday
ming. and they blackened and whiten-
ne entire city. The American officers
,,ere almost dumfounded.
On steamed the Connecticut. and It was
discovered that there was a German
cruiser. the Bremen. IN the harbor. More
salutes! By the way, It may be remarked
that Admiral Evans got the rear adniral's
salute inside the harbor, the proper one
that his two-starred flag requires. He got
another vice admiral's salute-and many
persons thought it was a delicate hint to
the United States-when the Italian
cruiser Puglia came in a day or two later
and gave him fifteen guns.
No official calls were made that night
because it was well after o'clock when
the last anchor was down, and Il was
Sunday. The populace thronged the
waterfront, in some places ten deep. until
after dark and then the Brazilian ships
Illuminated In honor Of the fleet Fire
works were set OF from the hiIltops.
Rios Magnificent Setting.
The far-famed Bay OF Rio! What shall
be said about it? Travellers and guide
books have told Of its beauties without
ceasing. Every well-informed person
knows that it is regarded as the finest in
the world; that even Naples is dwarfed
in comparison.
For twenty miles up there IS deep water
in the bay, and hiding places, too, among
the 965 Islands. one for every day in the
year, that stud the waters.
Rio as 1t Is To-day.
What did the Americans find on arri-
val? This is part Of what the Americans
saw; it would take pages TO tell it all:
They saw one of the cleanest and best
paved cities IN the world. New York in
the WaTing days never had cleaner
streets. There was not foul smell In
evidence. There was even no West street
or South street odor along the water
front Where the streets were not Of as
phalt they were Of wood. There were no
beggars on the highways.
The old part of the town still has its
narrow streets. the chief one Of which.
Ouvridor. Is about half as wide as Nassau
street and which no vehicles are permit
ted TO enter But the great surprise of all
was the magnificent Central avenue. built
within the last four years right through
the heart Of the city from north to south
just as Napoleon built highways in Paris
connecting AT the south with the great
sweeping shore boulevards. where the
beautiful Monroe Palace stands.
This new avenue rivals anything that
Paris can show. II is about I20 feet wide
with sidewalks fifteen feet broad. In the
center are lofty lights on artistic poles.
each group set in a little aisle Of safety
filed with flowers and grasses and plants.