File No. 894.001Y8/30.
Ambassador Guthrie to the Secretary of State.
Tokyo, December 20, 1915.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that upon the occasion of the recent visit of the Commander-in-Chief of the American Asiatic Fleet and his suite on board the flagship Saratoga to Japan during the festivities in honor of the accession to the Throne of His Majesty the Emperor, the entire American Naval Representation was accorded marked courtesy, and their presence was manifestly a matter of great pleasure to the Japanese Government. Moreover the American Government was the only government which was honored by having a naval representation invited to take part in the accession festivities.
I took advantage of the occasion of a recent visit to the Foreign Office to thank Baron Ishii for the courtesies extended to Admiral Winterhalter and to the fleet during the stay of the flagship Saratoga in Japanese waters. He said he was himself greatly pleased by the visit and was satisfied that the presence of the vessel at this time had produced an excellent impression. Both his remarks and his manner in uttering them were exceedingly cordial in his expression of pleasure over the event. He himself referred specifically to the fact that ours was the only foreign navy represented in the review and in the accession ceremonies of which it was a part.
Upon the occasion of a recent entertainment at the Imperial Palace the Emperor made apparent his pleasure at the presence of Admiral and Mrs. Winterhalter among the guests by greeting them and personally expressing his gratification. The courtesy shown, however, was not restricted to the Admiral and the officers in his suite, but was extended to the sailors themselves by the authorities at Yokohama, in such ways as obtaining for them free admission to the local theaters, by providing free transportation in trolleys and by numerous similar acts of hospitality.
I have [etc.]