BLUEJACKETS OF THE MARYLAND IN FRONT OF THE MUNICIPAL THEATER IN THE EXPOSITION GROUNDS AT RIO. STATISTICAL BUILDING IN THE DISTANCE SECRETARY HUGHES, KING NEPTUNE, THE QUEEN AND PRINCESS ON BOARD THE MARYLAND P ROLLING DOWN TO RIO WITH HUGHES BY WILLIAM W. MORRIS, CHIEF YEOMAN, UNITED STATES NAVY ROBABLY because the most of us speak only English and unconsciously assume a superior attitude toward Latin countries we are inclined to overlook the tremendous growth of our sister republics in South America. Few of us realize that Brazil has been an independent nation for one hundred years, and few indeed take more than a passing interest in events that are really important in that rich and growing country. But our Government in Washington was wide awake to the importance of promoting better friendship and closer relations, not only with Brazil, but with the other Latin-American republics. Consequently when Brazil invited the United States to participate in the centennial celebration of her independence it was a graceful recognition of the increasing importance of South America in international affairs that prompted President Harding to send our Secretary of State, Charles E. Hughes, as an Ambassador Extraordinary to represent us at the opening of the Exposition in Rio. Secretary Hughes, Representative phen G. Porter (Chairman of the se Foreign Relations Committee), Judge Finch (of the First Judicial District of the State of New York), Admiral H. P. Jones, U. S. N. (Commander-inChief of the Atlantic Fleet), and MajorGeneral Bullard, U. S. A., constituted the Commission. They sailed from New York on the Shipping Board liner PanAmerica on August 23, 1922. During the trip Secretary Hughes participated in the time-honored ceremonies incident to crossing the equator. When hauled before King Neptune and his Court, the Secretary was accused of having scrapped the Navy, but he appeased the wrath of King Neptune by promising to send what was left of the Navy across the equator more frequently than in the past. This so pleased King Neptune that he let the Secretary off with a light sentence "Life service to your country." The Navy Department had been ordered by the President to provide a suitable naval escort for our mission, and also to represent the United States suitably in the harbor of Rio during the Exposition. Accordingly the superdreadnought Maryland, Captain D. F. Sellers, U. S. N., commanding, and the Nevada, Captain D. E. Dismukes, U. S. N., commanding, had preceded the PanAmerica, and fifty miles out of Rio they hove to and awaited the Pan-America. Presently the Pan-America stopped close aboard the flagship Maryland and the Admiral's motor barge was lowered from the man-of-war and sent to the liner for Secretary Hughes and his party. No time was lost in making the transfer. and as the Secretary stepped over the gangway to the quarterdeck he was greeted by a splendid-looking crew in immaculate dress uniforms and by a salute of nineteen guns and the breaking of the Secretary of State's flag at the fore-truck. When the Maryland, followed by the Nevada, steamed into the beautiful harbor of Rio and received the national salutes from the British superdreadnaught Hood and from the French. Japanese, Brazilian, Italian, Mexican, and other men-of-war, Secretary Hughes undoubtedly felt a thrill of pride in the knowledge that his country was partici pating in a manner befitting the home of the Monroe Doctrine. It is well to remember that foreign countries are more impressed by the display of rank and so our position in the world d manded that we be represented in the best possible manner by high officials of the country and by an adequate naval display. When Secretary Hughes landed in Rio on September 5 he was escorted to Guanabara Palace, which was placed at his disposal. Since then this same palace has been placed at the disposal of the President of Portugal. No other representatives have been so highly honored by the Brazilians. The following day, September 6, Secretary Hughes and other members of the American mission presented their credentials to the President of Brazil. On September 7, the one hundredth anniversary of the independence of Brazil, the Exposition was opened by an international parade participated in by soldiers and sailors from fifteen countries. Our American bluejackets and Marines led the parade, and were beyond doubt the finest-appearing men in it. This was attested by the great applause that greeted them all along the line of march. After the completion of the parade the President of Brazil congratulated Secretary Hughes, who was sitting beside him, on the magnificent appearance of our men. During the following days Secretary Hughes was extremely busy with the many ceremonies and official calls, luncheons, banquets, and public speeches. Among these ceremonies was the official opening of the Exposition by the President of Brazil and the dedication by Secretary Hughes of the new American Consulate in the Exposition Grounds. Meantime our three thousand blue jackets were acting as unofficial repre- It had been originally planned for the The Maryland got under way late in the afternoon of September 12, and, demonstrating the flexibility of her American motive power-electric drive -gathered headway rapidly and in a few minutes was steaming at over eighteen knots without a particle of smoke from her funnels. With men standing at attention on deck, and with the band playing the national airs of each country as she passed their foreign men-of-war, she steamed majestically out of the harbor, a fitting representative of the power and dignity of the United States. The Maryland maintained this speed, and even better, all the way to New York, even during a two days' gale, and succeeded in shattering all records for the run between Rio and New York. On the way back Secretary Hughes was again hauled before King Neptune on crossing the equator and was presented with a handsomely engraved Neptune certificate which made it known to all men that he had become a trusty "shellback" and had been duly initiated into the mystic and ancient order of the Deep. During the ten days' voyage Secretary Hughes inspected the crew, their mess tables, where they slept, the engine-room, fire-rooms, and all parts of the ship and made himself very popular with the men by the interest he displayed in their work. They had expected to find him rather austere and dignified, but, on the contrary, they found him to be a regular fellow and a good shipmate. This favorable impression was mutual, for upon landing in New York Secretary Hughes stated to the press that his trip on the Maryland had been the most enjoyable and instructive voyage he had ever made and that he had great admiration for the officers and the men of the Maryland. It is safe to say that the visit of Secre tary Hughes under such auspicious circumstances as attended his trip to Rio has done much to strengthen the ties of friendship between the United States and Brazil and to bring about a clearer appreciation in both countries of our kindred aspirations. Secretary Hughes has added greatly to the prestige of this country by his visit, and it is hoped that our Government will continue its efforts in this direction. W THE AMERICAN NAVY AND THE TURKS BY COMMANDER ROBERT A. BACHMAN ITH events in the Near East bursting suddenly from an apparently peaceful condition into a state of war, the United States Navy found itself once more so placed as to make it the center of the entire Nation's eager interest. In order to clear up the official status of our official representative in Turkish waters and to make plain just what part the Navy is playing to-day, when the situation between England and Turkey is so strained, it may be well to state exactly in what capacity Rear-Admiral Mark L. Bristol is acting, and how he is representing our Government. When the Allied Governments concluded the armistice with Turkey, they established an Allied High Commission to deal with whatever problems might arise in connection with the Near Eastern situation. During the World War the United States had broken off diplomatic relations with Turkey, although ir had never officially been declared. On this Allied High Commission the This official designation, however, left (M.C.), U. S. N. Near Eastern countries was carried on through him. Although since then diplomatic relations have been resumed, the office of High Commissioner proved to be so desirable that it has been continued to this day. By this change of rank the importance of Admiral Bristol's position was properly emphasized, and consequently the usefulness of his office proportionately increased. In brief, the duties of the High Commissioner include the following appointments: He is diplomatic representative of the United States, Senior United States Naval Officer in Turkish waters, representative of the United States Shipping Board in the Near East, Chairman of the Constantinople Chapter of the American Red Cross, General Assistant of the Near East Relief Committee, and General Director of all United States Consular Offices in Turkey. With the despatch of twelve additional destroyers to Constantinople, the naval REFUGEE CHILDREN IN THE NEAR EAST CLOTHED IN OLD UNIFORMS BY OFFICERS OF AN AMERICAN DESTROYER forces of the United States there will be augmented to twenty destroyers, the small station ship Scorpion, and some supply ships and tenders. Vice-Admiral Long on the cruiser Pittsburg, his flagship, will be in command of the entire United States naval forces operating in European waters. Admiral Long will make an inspection trip to Turkey to look over the situation and determine the disposition of the forces under his command. The immediate handling of the vessels at Turkey will remain with Rear-Admiral Bristol. To set down in detail all the matters which must of necessity claim Admiral Bristol's attention in such unsettled times as these would take too much space. But one fact should not be forgotten-that, first of all, relief work carried on and the protection given to Americans constitute the bulk of his affairs. Destroyers have steamed from port to port, carrying stores, transporting members of the Near East Relief Committee, assisting in every way the efforts of the Red Cross and other relief organizations, evacuating Americans, non-combatants, and wounded from Black Sea ports, and helping American business keep on its feet. When in 1920 communication lines in Turkey, Bulgaria, Russia, and Rumania were badly shattered, and at times even totally destroyed, Admiral Bristol was able, through stationing his destroyers advantageously, to keep up communications with London and from there to the United States by means of their radio equipment. But for the naval communication office which he established ashore it is difficult to imagine what our Near East Relief, Food Administration, Red Cross, and commercial men would have done. The last were A& IN AMERICAN GIRL IN CONSTANTINOPLE, "the only unmarried American woman, outside of the relief organizations," wrote some intimate letters home about the life there during the past year, and about some of the outstanding figures in that Near East storm center. Notable among the figures she describes is ADMIRAL BRISTOL But she does not stop with these high personages. She describes also the "soft-eyed Turkish doll," the prize beauty, Little Baala; the Princess Sabaiheddin, a "Turkish princess with blond bobbed hair;" the Spanish Jew, "who scurries in and out like a rabbit ;" and others who do not get into the papers. Best of all, she tells how Americans and Europeans pass their time "where every meal is a party " and where "it's a delirious life for a British or American girl." She writes with zest of her experiences and observations, which she characterizes as "Turkish Delight." First installment in especially handicapped by the military control of cable lines and the frequent total paralysis of mail facilities. All messages sent out via commercial cable were more or less open to the scrutiny of foreign competitors, and the saving of American trade became almost completely a question of communications.. At one time the Navy handled as many as two thousand incoming and outgoing messages a day. In the transacting of official duties a sharp line was drawn between state and naval matters. When Admiral Bristol took over the Embassy and established the headquarters of the High Commission there, two files were begun-one known as the Navy file, and the other as the State Department file. In this way it was arranged that whenever the time came for the Navy to withdraw the Embassy files would be left complete. Now, with the eyes of the entire world focused on Turkey, it may be apropos to quote a despatch recently sent to one of our metropolitan dailies by its staff correspondent: "The humanitarian work done by Admiral Bristol and his small naval force," he says, "cannot be overrated. He has demonstrated that the American Navy is not only a fighting machine in time of war, nor a mere ornament in time of peace. While other naval forces are chiefly concerned with evacuating their own nationals, American destroyers are practically the only forces devoting themselves wholly to the unfortunate Greeks as well as to the Americans." |