JAPANESE SQUADRON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18632, 13 February 1924, Page 10

JAPANESE SQUADRON.

ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND. ■ n»i ' n : 10ROWDS ON WATERFRONT. ... EXCHANGE OF^COUEIESIES. * x _ ;, ;:1 ;': : MANY ' CEREMONIAL VISITS. ' i The " ! <Japanese naval squadron, com- . prising the ', armoured ' cruisers . A*ama, * Yakumo .and J. watt, arrived in the Hau- •;>. "raki nlf i **• ac • early hour yesterday ' .niorniuj. . 'At 1C.30 a.m. Vice-Admiral • ; Sfcickigoro ; Saifco's - flagship berthed at V Wince's' Wharf, followed by the Yaliumo, the IwaU? dropping, anchor in the stream. - Fin® wsathei yesterday morning afforded a splendid view of the three black ; hulls anchored in line inside Tin. At v trine o'cijck the three warships began to .move in. file .up the' Rangftoto Channel. * .Their j.progress was . alow and stately* The approach to tie cif7 was announced by a «alute of 21 guns fired by the Asaraa as she passed Fort ; Cautley. ' The courtesy had scarcely been acknowledged fwm the , fort by a similar number of guns when X M.S. Laburnum < commenced .to fire 15 ' guns. This was duly acknowledged ;by the visitors. •' : . .■' . ' The Waterfront, especially in th© vanity of Prince's Wharf,', was lined with spectators eager to see the first of the cruisers. The Asania hosed her way into the' inner '• eastern berth very '; cautiously, sending her own boats away with lines for the fora and aft hawsers. The whole* work of ; mooring , was carried out by the ASsaina's sailors, and the same t> >- "ccjura was followed with the iT&kumo. Admiral Sail to was one of the : first ashore "to see for himself that all was snug. The customary ceremonial ' visits then commenced; the elaborate courtesies as between nations continuing until the late afternoon. The Admiral's first caller was " the Consul for Japan, Mr. A. B. Roberon, : who was saluted by a guard of 20 rifles and introduced to the ship's officers. As he left the ship, a salute of seven guns was fired. - {'he Admiral followed immediately to eail on the Governori Central, Lord , Jellicoe. At his departure -V a bugle, call was sounded, the boatswain's - pipe , squealed, and .the flagship's band, *.... brass and woodwinds, played the Japanese National Anthem, "Kimi G&yo." Meanwhile the oSicers saluted, and the crew . &iood -at attention. -, -v.. c - , ; , Thit Admiral • and Lis officers, -, indeed .. the whole • crew were • clad I in •>; the informality of white duck. It was noticed t>ai when the Governor-General returned the Admiral's oail a quarter before "-noon lie also had donned white duck and a pith helmet. Ha was received with" due ceremony and the customary salutes. Sl . (Subsequently Admiral Saito received the , calls of The chairman of the Harbour Board. Mr. H. R. Mackenzie, the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, and the officer com- . landing, the .Northern Military District, Colonel, It" R. Potter. The calls, of the J. iRst■, two named were returned - in the ..." afternoon. . The Admiral "took- luncheon/ with Mr. Joberton, and with his officers was ten- ; dered a civic reception at the Town Hall .. la the evening. .".. :... ; . Tho total crews of' the three cruisers 3 r amber about 2500,!. including about 400 ; cadets. An . elaborate programme has ; J: sen - arranged,. for,. their entertainment v until r the J departure of the ships on Mon- . day, The .party of., officers. who, under 4 . the. conduct of the Under-Secretary . for , . Internal " J Iff airs. Mr. J. . Hislop, has been ~s -visiting -ibe. Waitomo Caves and the Buiiktra State Farm, arrived in Auckland - py the. Ms-in Trunk yesterday. J ; v -I V. - O.- ■" : • .- f :. . •• •v ' '"?»• : -T : t' v '• 1 "VISITORS ENTERTAINED. | PROGRAM MF.v FOR ! " to-day. v s r'-.TSr-•••.'..... 'y':'- .v •• -/.v V- 7 r v■. y; . -r > TRAM AND MOTOR RIDES. Complete arrangements have been .made for the entertainment of the officers, cadets, and men 'of the - Japanese warships while in Auckland. ' - ! . Admiral Saito .and % his ; officers were t'}: yesterday occupied with ceremonial calls. - - fairly liberal leave wap granted to'- the : ; men' I and' they- took " advantage of: the .' opportunity, to see the city. . The v neat '<y_ little men in white - were the object of v favourable . attention on the . crowded peVementa of Queen Street, and some of - them sooh made : friend's ; with hospitable '• J -- Audtlaadert. A large "proportion of. the ; crew* of the Asama and ; Yakumo were engaged cleaning ship and other fatigue duties. Although the Iwate lay in the ;■ stream she advertised from the distance -*; that it was' "washing day," five tiers of >: clothes'i line 1 carrying - the white duck .unifomis. of . .the crew/. The effect was •s i striking ' from the waterfront. v , .;V. Some 350 cadets were yesterday afternoon taken in seven tratacars- to xfllerslie and the Zoo. They are all " youths,' ;or little more, and marched with gay lniormality to the waiting cars, exchanging salutes with Aucklanders who. lined their path.;:,"'-■/ '.:T .r'./. '» ' To-day's progwjnmei is as follows: s'■'( 10 •a.m.. observation tramcars, Ellerslie racecourse and Zoo, for • about 350 men; t »10.30. v Admiral returns: call >■ of chairman, Auckland , Harbour Board; 11, < GoternorGeneral receives and addresses cadets; • 1.15 p.m., luncheon at Northern Club; . ,2 p.m., .; steamer ■to Motuihi ' for ,tho cadets; 2.30, ' motor ' drive, - city and sub- * " urbs, Admiral /and- officers;. 8; t p.m., 'Northerni Boxing - Association exhibition - fop {Be men, Town Hall; 3 p.m., . dinner, 5 ; Government House, Admiral and officers. yy Full programmes are also set down for ' ; to-morrow and Friday, features being the ;; gardetf ! party at; Government House to- - morrow and -the Admiral's "At Home** v- on the; flagship on Friday , afternoon.. On • -.Saturday .the .Admiral, officers, . and cadets leave for Rotorua, 'returning on, •; Sunday, The squadron departs on Mon- . ; day morning;. PRINCE'S WHARF m USE. LARQE WARSHIP® BERTHED. ' DEEP DRAUGHT OF ASAMA An eating feature in connection with the visit of the Japanese warships is that the Asama and Yakumo are the first vessels of lars? dimensions to, bis berthed at Prince's Wharf. The Asama was this rtarning drawing 25ft. at her bows and 28ift. at the stern. Even .at that depth she had three to four feet to come and go on, the Harbour Board having already lowered the berth to :32 or 23ft., -The board's intention -is to dredge to 36ft. " before the arrival of H.M.S. Hood m » May, the draught of this great warsmp being 32 to'33ft. • The Asama and . Yakumo occupy , almost, the whole : length . of . the . eastern ,; t ; aide of Prince's Wharf. Their lengths are 408 and 407 ft. respectively.; The Asama = displaces, a 9700 " tons aad • the Yakumo 9850 tons. Each has an armament of four 8-in. and fourteen b-iri. runs. The Iwate is substantially similar io the Yakumo in size and armament.

ANNIVERSARY 01* EMPIRE. CELEBRATION AT HAMILTON. Tut • yxLiOBAPH.—OWN- COBEKSPOKDENT.] HAMILTON. Tuesday. v "February 11 is the 2584 th ■ anniversary h. • of the formation of the Japanese Empire •. . and thu crowning of the first Emperor. , ; Tbe occasion , was fittingly celebrated at Hamilton yesterday, when the senior ~ officers of tn» Japanese training squadron. : vho'ware visiting the town, asked- the < : Mayor and Borough Council to be their v guests at the 'Hamilton Hotel., for a few :j ; minutes, where the health., of tha *> Emperor of Japan arid. King George V. <• was drunk in - champagne. ; The visitors • the. > Japanes9 . National Anthem, >. jrhich baa.a tuneful, dirge-like lilt, and #• , y®® joined their guest* La singing "God Ban* gtt King/? \ k