Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-23
A Heavy Guard

On the plaza and overlapping the
great building at either wing, were
gathered some 1000 people waiting pa
tientlV for a glimpse of the. nation s
guests, restrained at a proper distance
by hundreds of policemen and by two
troops of the End Cavalry.
Within the station, lines had been
drawn sepa 'ating the travelling public
from the space at the eastern end of
the cOncourse across which the visiting
party was to pass on the way from the
train shed to the Presidents room.
All the police captains of the district
had been arranged here in a double
line as a guard of honor and to keep
back intruders.
TWO score rewspapermcn standing
to the east of the concourse were the
only unofficial persons permitted in this
section Of the station. Detectives
swarmed everywhere through the
crowd. Altogether the precautions TAX
en- to insure the safety of the nations
visitors exceeded anything ever known
in the history of the district.
Arrival on Time
Exactly on time at 5 O'Clock the train
bearing the British commissioners and
their attaches drew into the station.
Aside from the guards only very few
persons had ben permitted to enter the
train shed. These included Secretary
Lansing. Frank L. Polk, counselor Tor
the state department; William Phil
Inns assistant secretary of state; Hugh
Gibson. secretary of the American le-
CATION at Brussels, who distinguished
himself by his extraordinary efforts 70
save the life of Edith Cavell, and sew
eral other state department officials.
Representing the British government
Sir Cecil Spring Rice. the British am
bassador; Col. Vile Barclay. counselor
for the embassy; Thomas Spring Rice,
Mr.. Hahler, Lieut.. Col. Murrough y
Brien. Commodore Guy Gaunt, secre-
taries and attaches of the embassy.
AS the special train stopped two OF
the military officers of the British par
ty stepped to the floor of the shed,
preceding Immediately Mr.: Balfour.
The minister for foreign affairs de-
seconded, hat in hand, and was imme-
diately presented by the British am
bassador to Secretary Lansing. the
two secretaries exchanged a hearty
hand clasp and chatted for few mo-
ments while the remainder of the party
emerged from the train and ranged
themselves along the side to permit OF
a photograph being taken by an Off
cial photogra pher. the only one which
is to he permitted, according to the
present plan. When this was done the
visitors moved along the train shed to
the station, preceded by Thomas
Spring Rice and Mr. Gibson, Mr.. Bal
four on the right of Secretary Lansing.
The foreign minister walked uncovered
with head erect, smiling his greetings
to the handclapping and cheering of
the party that had gathered within
the concourse. The remainder of the
party followed without any attempt
at order of precedence and passed into
the Presidents room at the entrance
of which a number of automobiles had
been brought up in line for their re-
ception
In the first car were Mr.. Balfour,
Secretary Lansing and an army off,
Ger as an escort. In the second were
the British ambassador. Counselor
Polk and Counselor Barcley; in the
third, Maj Gen. Bridges, Lieut.. Col.
OBrien and Mai. Gen. Leonard Wood,
L. S. A: in the fourth. Admiral De
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