New Britain herald., 1919-07-18
LONDON BOWS TO <
 YANKEE GENERAL
:. Pershing Given Freedom Of City
 and Sword of Honor
4 MOST IMPRESSIVE SCENE

A MOST IMPRESSIVE SCENE American Ambassador and Other Dis
 tinguisi,cd Guests Present at Rc-
 ception Which Takes Place in Fla
 nous GuiIdhalI.
 London, July 1S.--London honored Gen. Pershing today by presenting him the freedom or the city and a sword of honor in the presence of distinguished company of Britons and Americans gathered within the his- toric Guildhall. John w. Davis, the American ambassador, the embassy staff, Rear Admiral Harry S. Knapp and his staff, members of the British government and a number of British generals were participants in tho cere- mony.
 The sword of honor is gold mount ed and is a handsome reproduction of the American army pattern.
 The inscription on the blade reads
 "Presented by the corporation of the city of London to Gen. John ]. Pcrshing, G. C. B., commander-in- chief of the American cxpeditio1Ery forces, in testimony of it's high appre- citation of the valuable services ren- dered by him and the troops under his command in the cause of freedom in the great war just concluded
 General Warmly Received. '. Gen. Pershing was applauded by the crowds that had gathered when he SJ. IN the Guilds and the aldermen in their customary welcoming robes lent pie turesque aspect to the scene.
 The general found a company of the Grenadier Guards, with it's band, drawn up in the yard He inspected the Guards and then entered the hall and was cor<lcted to the dais, where he was greeted by the lord mayor and Lady Mayoress.
 Entertained at Luncheon.
 After the ceremony in the Guild hall the lord mayor entertained the company at a luncheon at the Man sion house. Gen. Pershing sat at his right with Mrs. Davis, wife of the am bassador at the left. Others pres ent at the function included Ambas- sador Davis Winston Spencer Church. ill, the war secretary; the Earl of Reading, Lord Chief Justice, Lord Lee, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig and Lady Haig; the Earl of Cavan, Walter Hume Long, first lord of the admiral ty; Viscount Bryce, the members of Gen. Pershing's staff and the com manding officers of the American units which will take part in tomorroW's Victory celebration.
 Others Who Arc Present.
 Also attending the luncheon were the members of the American embassy staff, Major General John Riddle and his staff; Rear Admiral Knapp and other American naval officers to- gether with Major General Scott and Brig. Gen. F. M. Maitland, of RIA fame.
 After Gen. Pershing had been greet ed by the lord mayor, Sir Horace B. Marshall, and the lady mayoress, the town clerk, Sir James Bell read the resolution of the corporation autho- rizing the presentations. The city chamberlain, Adrian D. W. Pollock, then turned to Gen. Pershing and de- livered his formal address.
 Recalls Theodore Roosevelt
 ''It is now nine years," said the chamberlain, since the corpora tion of this ancient city welcomed in this hall Theodore Roosevelt and it is a happy circumstance that the next ceremony of precisely the same char acter should be one in which another ,great American is the honOred guest of the city-the gallant commander of the American expeditionary forces "a soldier whose character and quail ities were recognized and appreciated by no one so quickly as by Col. Roosevelt"
 Replying Gen. Pershng paid tribute to Field Marshal Haig, Admiral Sir David Beatty and their men of the SBritish army and navy, and continued:
 Gen. Pcrshing Replies.
 We came abroad to maintain the sacred principles of liberty, which autocracy and militarism had threat ened. Those things were as near and dear to us as they were to you. You have been fighting our cause as well as the cause of mankind. Out of this intimate association has arisen new spirit of comradeship.
 Tt is our hope that the two great nations may now act in common in achieving new successes during the years of peace to come and in the en- jOyment of those blessings which our common sacrifices have won for us"