The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-02

SQUADRON
WELCOMED
Also and SOya Escorted to
BerthS Amid Statutes of
!. American Cruisers
Federal and City Officials Board
Flagship to Greet Noted
Commander
Admiral Iichi Thanks People OF
California for COrdiality
his nfcvaA
Elaborate. Program Prepared to
Entertain Visitors Dur
ing Brief Stay
ITHUNDERING weapons Of war

Il 'AlC ~ LL~rNt-N0 Weapons OF Wdt
sang the gladstone refrain OF
peace as the .Aso and Soya. the
two Japanese training cruisers. sailed
through. the Golden gate at 10 o'clock
yesterday morning and, dropping an
Choir, nestled by the sides 9of the
American, battleships Fortress and
battleship. crashed the chorus back
and forth in mutual honor and. salu-
tation.- American and Japanese
cheered with equal enthusiasm and for
the same Purpose The national
hymns or the two nations inter
mingled In the boom and smash of
the guns there was a common en-
thusiasm... And it.seemed as each sue
ceeding iron throat poured forth its
mighty breath and the onrush sf
smoke tore aside the veil of the heat
haze, there was blown away to the
four winds some petty discord, some
misunderstanding born Of ignorance.
Cruisers Are SaIutcd
The song came first from the para
pets of'the Preside. The two vessels,
grim. massive blotches pushing
through the dancing heat waves, came
| into sight shortly before 10 o'clock.
and to the hutterins flag Of the rising
sun the American guns gave all honor
and welcome. The rhythmic booming
t,,-1... ;+eore 1900. a. - 80. -,
chained the silence of the crowds along
the water front or packed on the decks
of excursion steamers.
The pleasure craft. catching the
signal, headed for the sea. The cheers
broke forth and grew in volume until
continuous rumbling roar greeted thu
cruisers as they passedethe bend and
gingerly picked their way over the
alien waters. Plotting them was the
revenue cutter McCuiloch. white and
beautiful, for all the world like some
dainty slip of a girl leading two suriy
bulldogs into a strange yard.
Then tremor. passed over the city
as the West Virginia crashed out with
the first gun OF the salute. A volume
of smoke jerked itself from the
iron sides of the Aso in answering
salutation and the tongues % war
which were of peace spoke in their own
tremendous way till the waters be-
meath trembIed through sheer mass OF
sound.
The welcome was perfect as the day.
There was not single marring note.
Whatever may have been the doubts
of the past they We're eliminated by the
spontaneous good will of the moment.
Official Calls Made
The official calls started with the
dropping of the anchors and scarce had
the gangways been lowered when
launches and cutters. flying Official en-
signs. were bobbing up and down below
the guns of the flagship Aso. and the
dignitaries of the army and navy, city.
state and nation were .clambering up
the gangways and the Japanese band,
drawn up on the quarterback. was play
ing the American national anthem. The
official callers consisted of Mayor Pay
Ior. representing the city. and his com
mIttee composed OF James MCNdot
president of the chamber of commerce.
James RoIph Jr., president Of the Mer-
chants exchange; A. NJ Davis. presi-
dent of the Merchants association Adj
| miraI W. t. Swinburne and his staff;
General weston; Collector OF the Port
stratton. representing the president;
Lieutenant Governor Warren Porter,
representing the governor OF Califor-
MIA, and the captains of the four Amer
lean cruisers in the bay.
All arrived within few minutes Of
each other and the admiral's cabin was
crowded to overlooking There was
general gaze and search for the giit-
tering uniform of the commander. but
it was not to be. SEEN At the outset
no one noticed simple figure in sim
pie black. without the least decoration
who smiled and bowed and saluted with
the utmost good nature and courtesy.
and there was gasp of establishment
when ii developed that the man in the
simple. black uniform was the man
whom they had come to honor--Ad-
miral Iiichi.
Courtesy Is Appreciated
The formalitiss were exceptionally
brief The Japanese admiral spoke