Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.

No. 193, Greek Series.]

Sir: Rear Admiral Albert S. Barker, U. S. Navy, in his flagship, the U. S. S. Kearsarge, and accompanied by the Alabama, the Maine, and the Iowa, and the collier Abarenda, arrived off Phaleron on the afternoon of the 30th ultimo. The U. S. S. Missouri joined these vessels on July 3. All sailed this afternoon.

On the morning after their arrival Admiral Barker, accompanied by Captains Davis, Leutze, Mansfield, and R. P. Rodgers, and other officers, called at the legation and subsequently I went with them to call on the Greek minister of marine and to leave cards on the acting minister of foreign affairs, the court officials, the chiefs of the foreign diplomatic missions, and others. The same afternoon I returned Admiral Barker’s visit, being received on board the Kearsarge with the customary honors, and later I visited all the battle ships.

The minister of the marine detailed a Greek officer, Lieutenant Hepites, to attend the admiral during his stay here, and at the admiral’s request I have duly thanked him for his courtesy in the admiral’s name and my own. Admiral Barker ordered Lieut. J. H. Holden, U. S. Navy, to report to me as an attaché during the stay of the fleet, and that officer performed such services as were required of him in an entirely satisfactory manner.

An audience was requested, and on July 3 I had the honor of presenting Admiral Barker, Captains Leutze, Mansfield, and Rodgers, and eight other officers to His Majesty the King. The King expressed his pleasure, as he did on several other occasions, at seeing the American officers in Greece, regretted that they had come at such a hot season and one so dull socially, and that their stay was to be so short, and received them generally with great cordiality.

On July 4 the ships were dressed with flags, a small Russian vessel [Page 345] at anchor in the bay having done so as well, and in the evening the King, Prince Andrew, and Princess Alice of Greece, the only members of the royal family in the country at the time, visited the flagship and were the guests at dinner of Admiral Barker and his officers. The King was received with appropriate ceremony, the ships being illuminated after dark, salutes being fired, etc. He inspected the Kearsarge thoroughly and remained on board for about four hours. While at the table Admiral Barker toasted the King, who in turn drank the health of the President. Subsequently I toasted the absent Queen and the other members of the Greek royal family. No speeches were made.

Yesterday a breakfast was given at Tatoi, the King’s country place, about two hours distant from Athens, at which the admiral, Captains Davis, Leutze, Mansfield, Rodgers, and W. S. Cowies, and 17 other officers, as well as Mrs. Jackson and myself, were present.

During their stay in the Bay of Phaleron liberty was given to most of the men, and probably about 2,500 of them came ashore. They had just received a month’s pay, and altogether it is estimated the fleet brought about $100,000 into the country. The men behaved themselves very well, and they have been very favorably criticised, as usual.

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I have, etc.,

John B. Jackson.