THE SQUADRON.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3440, 23 May 1898, Page 2

THE SQUADRON.

Official visits were paid to Roar-Admiral Pearson on Saturday morning by Mr Focke and Count de Oourte, the German and French Consuls, both gentlemen being received with great cordiality. The usual salute to each consul was fired as they left tha flagship. Both visits were returned later in the day. H.M.E. Tauranga, from northern porta via Gisborne and Napier, came to an anchor in the stream at 1 o’clock on Saturday afternoon. A squad of 34 men, from tha three man-of-war in port, attended the 9 o’clock servido at St. Mary’s Cathedral vest-rday. On the big tof the 21th bismnt the flagship will bo illuminated with electric light as it Was on the night of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Admiral Pearson’s views as to official courtesy received an illustration at Akaroa during the visit of the Royal Arthur (says the L Helton Times). It appears that the Mayor of the town wrote and asked at what time it would be convenient for him to pay a visit as the representative of the borough. The Mayor did not get an answer until Wednesday morning, and soon after noon, with the T wn Clerk and the Rev Jasper -Smith, he went on but d the snip to pay an o hcial visit to the Admiral Upon sending in their cards, the Admiral ordered tbs Mayor to be shown in, and at once infernlad him that that "as the first official courtesy that be had been shown since he had been on the New Zealand Coast. Ha then said that he understood that there were t tvo other gentlemen Who wished to call upon him, and asked the Mayor who they wore. Upon being informed that one was the Town Clerk and the other the Vicar of Akaroa, he sa ; d he would receive the Town Clerk, bat would not see the Vicar, as he held no official position. The Dnnhess and Duco convoyed about 2500 people to the flagship yesterday. The visitors w retreated with, the utmost courtesy by the officers and crew, the men taking pleasure in showing the visitors tbs working of the different guns, the 21-tonner mounted on the main deck alt exciting the greatest interest. In addition to those conveyed to the warship by steamers, some hundreds of people crowded to the vessel’s gangways in watermen's and private boats.