Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-03
GIVEN
GREAT WELCOME
SAN FRANCISCO ENTERTAINS
MIKADO'S SAILORS
Enlisted Men and Midshipmen of
Cruisers Aso and Soya Are
Feted and Royalty
Received
[By Associated Press. ]

-N@tNN4HNNN
SAN FRANCISCO, May 2.-The Jap
anese colony of San Francisco. under
the auspices of the Japanese Associa-
ton of America, We'd with the official
civic entertainment committee today in
providing outdoor pleasure for 800 en-
listed men and more than ninety mid
shipmen of the Japanese training
cruisers Also and Soya, now at anchor
in the harbor. 4
The men came ashore in the morning
and did not return to their ships until
nearly nightfall, when every form of
open air festivity that their hosts could
devise had been enjoyed by the Nip
ponese guests.
The festivities included band con-
cert and a substantial luncheon in
Golden Gate park, followed by a pro-
gram of addresses and vaudeville spe-
cialties by American and japanese
artists at the open air theater in Hagi-
wara's Japanese tea garden, just out
side the park gates.
Coming ashore at 8 a. M, the Jap
anese visitors were first conveyed to
the beach in front or the Cliff house,
the midshipmen in automobiles and
the jackies in a number of special troll
ley cars.
For a while they rambled about on
the beach, enjoying the beauties of the
rld-famous harbor entrance, after
which they marched in columns of four
to the bandstand in Golden Gate park,
near which the entertainment commit
tee had spread a generous luncheon on
long tables.
Here while the guests from over the
sea refreshed the inner man, the city
band rendered a musical program, of
which the American and Japanese an
thems were conspicuous and appre-
ciated features.
After the concert was finished and
the refreshments were dispatched the
visiting navy boys were escorted to the
tea garden, where special seats were
reserved for them in front of the stage.
Garden Periodically Draped
The entire garden was draped with
the Japanese and American colors with
Old Glory and the white and scarlet
Nipponese ensign flung to the breeze at
frequent intervals
Here were gathered a considerable
part of the Japanese colony-men,
women and children-While maids and
matrons chosen from among the Jap
anese residents presided at tables from
which fruits and sweetmeats were con-
stantly supplied to the sailor visitors
and to all others who attended the fes-
tiVities.
DIR. Kushijima, a prominent Japanese
resident, acted as master of ceremonies.
A marine band from the flagship Also
supplied music.
Brief addresses were made by Jap
anese Consul General Nagai, Rear Adj
mfral H. Ijichi, Midshipman r. Sawa-
motto and others.
Admiral Ijichi, after expressing his
thanks to the American and Japanese
hosts for the reception accorded him
and the members of his command,
dwelt briefly on the best means of pre-
serving peace between the great ma
tions of the world.
"A navy said the admiral, lis not
primarily for fighting, as many sup
pose, but for the preservation of peace
among the nations. l know that the
| Japanese as a whole realize this. and
! feel confident the Japanese here realize
too that the responsibility of keeping
the peace rests as much with the mas
of the Japanese colonists in the United
| States as it does with the men of the
ships now lying in these waters"
After the vaudeville program, which
! comprised several lively sparring bouts
| by local talent which the visiting sea
men seemed particularly to enjoy, the
| guests returned to their vessels.