Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-04-30
JAP CRUISERS VISIT
At SAN PEDRO LAST SUNDAY
FOR SHORT TIME.
mbsir Admiral Says They Are on a
Peaceful Cruise to Principal Pacific
Coast Points-Both Ships Are Prizes
~ Late War-Great Reception by
Janauese Was the Feature Sunday.

Los Angeles, Cal, April Warships
% Janan entered Pacific coast port of
tbe limited States Sunday, the cruisers
sava and Aso, comprising the Japanese
training squadron commanded by Rear
Admiral H. Iiichi, steamed into San
podro. the harbor of Los Angeles, at
mon. Not since the training ships en-
+ored the bay of San Francisco a half
score years ago, have vessels flying the
fac of the rising sun been sighted on
tbe western shores of this country. The
cruisers are on peaceful visit of some
weeks duration, which will take them
TO all of the principal ports of the Pa
eifc coast.
Both ships are prizes of the Russo
Japanese war. The Also is the former
Russian cruiser Bayan, found in the
barbor of Port Arthur after General
stoessel surrendered that fortress into
tbe hands of the victorious Japanese.
The Saya was formerly the cruiser Va
RAG which was attacked in the harbor
of Chemulpo, Korea, just before the
breaking out of the war and sunk by
the Japanese fleet.
These craft are now comparatively
modern warships, carrying heavy bat
teries and equipped with high-speed en-
gines. Each has single forward and
after turret eight-inch gun, a. broadside
battery of eight six-inch guns and Ia
of three-inch caliber. They carry crews
lid; or1
and 1876 cadets of the Japanese navy.
The Also is the flagship of Admiral
1iichi. He is a veteran of the war with
Russia and commanded the battleship
Mikasa, the flagship of Admiral Togo,
which participated in all the principal
battles of that war and on which Ad
miral Rojestvensky was taken as pris-
oner of war after his defeat in the sea
of Japan. Admiral Iiichi is now a griz-
zled veteran of so years He has made
one other visit to the United States,
when, in 1880, he saw San Francisco
as a cadet on japanese corvette.
Admiral Talks of Plans.
owe shall visit Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Seattle and Victoria and
possibly other PORTS" said the admiral.
owe must return to Japan by August
l and our stay on the shores of the
United States will be brief. We shall
remain at San Pedro until Wednesday
and then go to San Francisco for week
or more and then proceed north. We
expect to be at Seattle at the opening
of the exposition. Personally, 1 can
only express my pleasure at the in
creased evidence of friendliness of the
United States and my country. I have
no doubt that our visit here will be
one of lasting pleasure and remembrance
for us. We of Japan have great admir-
alton for America and 1 am glad of this
opportunity to return here for even SO
short a stay"
The admiral was not prepared to
make any formal statement regarding
the occasion of the visit of ships fur
Their than that it was a part of their
regular cruise.
Japanese Greet Countrymen.
A feature of the arrival of the
squadron was it's reception by repre-
sentatives of the 10000 Japanese liv-
ing in southern California. Hundreds
OF Japanese journeyed to San Pedro.
Four steamers were chartered by them
laden with passengers and with the
hags of the United States and Japan
nyng fore and aft, steamed out to well
hn -,
boarded the Also and presented to Ad-
mlral lJichi printed address of wei
come and congratulations upon his safe
arrival. Gifts of hundreds of boxes of
oranges, Strawberries and other fruits
were presented to the officers and men.
tomorrow morning a o-days' enter
talnment of the officers and men, in
Guiding automobile rides, trolley trips,
oanquets, ETC., will be begun. The
squadron will depart Wednesday for
San Francisco.