The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-22
LOSES CHANCE
TO REPRESENT
TIE PRESIDENT
Chief Boarding Officer Smart
ing Under AffrOnt TO His Dig
nifty by Fractured Etiquette
All Because Naval Captain Kid
mapped Japanese Vice Admiral
From the Nippon Maru

structiOns of the navy department and
greet Vice Admiral Sotokichi Uriu of
the japanese navy with all due honor
CA the lstters arrival in san Fran
cisco yesterday. Captain Z. ". Eberle.
commandment Of the Yer5a Buena train
ing STATION. made himself the center Of
furious Official storm and now faces
Tie prospect az having 10 answer a.
charges u violating the federal ship
pins laws.
Ti,ese charges VIII lie formally flee
before collector OF The Port Stratton
today ~ Charles A stephens. chief
boarding oaTccr iH tie customs service,
who n making public his complaint
nor only accused the naval officer Of a
tioistion or the federal regulations, but
also Of r. gross breach Of etiquette
10 accused him Of spiriting away the
Distinguished japanese vice admiral
without allowing stephens, as repre-
sentative Of the president Of the nited
states IN opportunity OF meeting ana
oHctally overcoming him TO this coun-
Try
Gathered INTO the turmoil are captain
h W Fillner. commanding the Nippon
Maru. and Lieutenant Colonel Hams OF
The United States marine corps. ~"
zion Of the federal laws.
TROUBLE STARTS ~ WASHINGTON
The trouble originally arose in Wash
iugton When IL became known that
Vice Admiral Criu was 10 visit the
United states and take part At the COM
mencencnt exercises at Annapolis, the
heads Of Inc various departments be
gan 10 pull the little strings Every
one wanted to have a representative OF
his department on the spot. ready with
the big smile of official welcome. AS
the visitor was . naval officer the navy
department at Washington wrote TO
Captain Eberle. ordering him 10 do the
honors in its name. As he would come
within The jurisdiction Of tie customs
department the treasury department
wrote to collector OF the Port STRAIT
ton advising him to play the role OF
the president Of his country and say
The necessary words Of welcome. There
from arose the rumpus.
Captain Eberle. recognizing that
when il comes 10 saying what IS TO
be done on the bay Stratton IS about
the main and only thing. showed the
latter his orders from the navy depart
ment and requested the privilege Of
carrying out the commands. Stratton,
not at all jealous, replied with the
following letter
sir. Permission is hereby granted for
YOU to board the incoming nippon
Nsru about Nav i for the purpose
~ greeting Vice Admiral Sotokichi
I7riu. such boarding may take place
Immediately after the vessel has passed
quarantine and viii apply TO any one
whom Won may desire TO brin~ with
YOU This authority. when shown TO
the master OF the Nippon Maru. or TO
any customs officers, VIII be respected
sTRAT-TON DELEGATES STEPHENS
Then Straaton, not feeling like q
president Of The United States, passed
the Job Of representing on TO his chief
boarding Officer. Stephens, who usually
plays this role. At the appointed time
Yesterday the revenue cutter, Golden
Gate. having on board Stephens and a
silk hat shot of from one side Of the
bav At the same moment the navy
tug TiEitant with Captain Eberle.
thanked by his aids and officers. All re-
splendent in about a ton and A half
OF gold lace. put off from Goat island:
but by the time the Golden Gate with
Stephens drew alongside the Nippon
Maru the Nigilant held the gangwsy
and Captain Eberle was on board. fol-
lowing navy instructions. in respect
to the Official smile.
Now. what in thunder does that
navy tug mean by hugging that gang
v-ay?" murmured Stephens, as the
VigiIsnt refused 10 give way for the
Golden Gate. Tell her TO get out" he
rosred.
lust as the order was about to be
executed stephens. gazing at the gang
way. sputtered and turned white with
anger For there preceded by the
officially smiling Captain Eberle and
aided by marines was the japanese
vice admiral being helped down on to
the deck Of the navy tug. moment
later the adrniraPs wife passed through
TIE same evolutions- The gold laced
navy officers followed. the Nigilant
gave q saucy little loot and began
10 speed away.
STORM BREAKS LOOSE
The representative OF the president
OF the United States gazed in blank
establishment. His first thought was
10 ask Captain Eberie a few pointed
questions. but thinking this would en-.
bsrrass the official guest he politely
lifted his silk hat and drew away. The
ashore. TT was the most i'll bred act
/ have SEEN" said he. His permission
from the collector Of the port was only
10 board and greet the vice admiral.
He had no right TO take him off the
ship until he had been officially seen
BIZ me, and a man IN Captain Eberle's
position should know he had no such
flEht. 1 VIII NE Iormal charges against
Captain Eberle and Captain Filmer -
Captain Eberle declared he was not
aware that he had made any mistake.
4 thought the written permission .
said he allowed me to take the adj
miral OF the ship
AN UNFORTUEATE MISTAKE
Collector Of the Port Stra<ton refused
TO be drawn into the imbroglio. 1T
is an unfortunate mistake said he.
Lieutenant Colonel Hams of the ma
rine corps. who had been specially sent
out from Washington TO take personal
charge OF the japanese vice admiral,
was one Of the party who helped him
to leave the ship.
Admiral Uriu had not the least con-
ception OF the trouble his arrival had
caused. 4 am greatly touched at the
kindness OF the United States govern
ment in welcoming me officially" said
he. when seen later at the Fairmont
hotel, where he had gone with Mrs.
Urin on landing.
Il feared that I might be DELAYED
by the quarantine laws and therefore
be late for the exercises at Annapolis .
The admiral is q graduate Of An
nspolis OF the class OF 81. and this
trip is more FOR the purpose of meet
ing some Of his old associates than
ANYTHING else On matters or irfar