The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1909-04-30
JAPANESE
CRUISERS
ARRIVE FOR A VISIT ON
PACIFIC COAST.
SHIPS ARE PRIZES OF RUSSO
JAPANESE WAR-w1LL RE-
TURN AUGUST l,

Los Angeles, Cal, April 25.-Warships
OF Japan entered a Pacific coast port of
the United States Sunday, the cruisers
Saya and Also, comprising the Japanese
training squadron commanded by Rear
Admiral H. Ijichi, steamed into San
Pedro, the harbor Of Los Angeles, at
noon. Not since the training ships en-.
tered the bay Of San Francisco a half
score years ago, have vessels flying the
flag of the rising sun been sighted on
the western shores Of this country. The
cruisers are On a peaceful visit of some
weeks duration, which will take them
to all of the principal ports Of the Pa
cific coast.
Both ships are prizes of the Russo.
Japanese war. The Also is the former
Russian cruiser Bayan, found in the
harbor Of Port Arthur after General
Stoessel surrendered that fortress into
the 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 feet.
These craft are now comparatively
modern warships, carrying heavy bat.
teries and equipped with high-speed en-
gines. Each has a single forward and
after turret eight-inch gun, a broadside
battery of eight six-inch grEs and IL
of three-inch caliber. They carry crews
of 600 men each, including 81 officers
and 1875 cadets of the Japanese navy.
The Also is the flagship of Admiral
Ijichi. He is a veteran of the war with
Russia and commanded the battleshiI
Mikasa, the flagship of Admiral Togo
which participated in all the ~principa.
battles of that war and on which AID
miral Rojestvensky was taken as pris
oner of war after his defeat in the sea
of Japan. Admiral Ijichi 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 a Japanese corvette.
Admiral Talks Of Plans.
"We shall visit Los Angeles, Sar
Francisco, Seattle and Victoria ant
possibly other ports," said the admiral
"We must return to Japan by Angus
1 and our stay on the shores of thu
United States will be brief. We shall
remain at San Pedro until Wednesda,
and then 60 to San Francisco for a weel
or more and then proceed north. W
expect to be at Seattle at the openin,
of the exposition. Personally, I cal
only express my pleasure at the in
creased evidence Of friendliness of tn
United States and my country. / hav'
no doubt that our visit here will b.
one of lasting pleasure and remembrance
for us. We of Japan have great admir-
alton for America and ] am glad of thi
opportunity to return here for even S.
short a stay"
The admiral was not prepared t.
make any formal statement regardin,
the occasion Of the visit of ships fur
Their than that it was a part of thei
regular cruise.
Japanese Greet Countrymen.
A feature Of the arrival Of tn
squadron was its reception by repre-
sentatives of the 10000 Japanese lv
ing in southern California. Hundred
of Japanese %journeyed to San Pedro
Four steamers were chartered by ther
laden with passengers and with tn
flags of the United States and Japa
flying fore and aft, steamed out to we
come the war vessels. A committe
boarded the Also and presented to Ad
miral Ijichi a printed address of we
come and congratulations upon his SAT
arrival. Gifts of hundreds of boxes o
oranges, Strawberries and other fruit
were presented to the officers and mel
Tomorrow morning a two-days' enter
tainment of the officers and men, in
Guiding automobile rides, trolley trip'
banquets, ETC., will be begun. TIL
squadron will depart Wednesday fo
San Frapeisco