LORD KITCHENER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 700, 28 December 1909, Page 6

LORD KITCHENER.

ENTHUSIASTIC. WELCOME IN . JAPAN. , VISITS MANCHURIA N BATTLE- ■ r,, ! .fields; Japanese newspapers state that the reputation Lord Kitchener, rightly or wrongly: has of being" a misogynist appears to be supported by an incident at' Kyoto. •' The "Hochi" says that the municipal authorities arranged a diriner in his .honour, at which,-the very best.of tho Kyoto geishas were in\attendance. Lord Kitchener, however, refused repeated invitajtibne to;honour tho prooeed-: ings with his presence, much to tho disappointment of the hosts, and, probably: of the geishas also. - Eastern files contain lengthly references to Lord Kitchener's-visit, to Japan and Manchuria. On October 23 a party was given at the Military Club at Port Arthur, by the Japanese officials and private individuals, in honour of Lord Kitchener. 1 , Britain and Japan. ' ! In proposing' the health of tho distinguished guest, Admiral Tomaskn, commander ot the Admiralty, at Port Arthur; speaking in English, said ho deemed it a groat honour and pleasure to have: tho. opportunity of welcoming,such an illustrious gurf/t from the. ally of Japari at tho Ladysm'lth- of the Far East, where ono of the appallirig dramas in the history of //he: world,', was -playsd ,five years ago. /Lord : Kitchener had achieved groat wort/in South 1 Africa, Egypt,; and India. ' <fteat ' Britain and • Japan yero two, ins'jlar. Empires,. .bound in l a:strong,, bond ;,//! alliance. He hoped and . felt confident that the friendly feeling and mutual understanding between -the .-.'two nations would strengthen the foundation of ■ their mutual interests, arid, of the,, peo-, plo of world. .! - • In reply, Lord .Kitchener . remarked that he ;had'long cherished a desiro .to ( visit this place, where tho glory ;of the 1 Japanese army and navy, had been,''.displayed. ..That ariibition. was, now'gratified.' •' With' regard to .the .allianco, ; to ivliich reference was made, by Admiral Tomaska, ho was confident it would be long maintained,-: ; and that the welfare of the two nations ind' the peace of tho world'would continue indefinitely.' On the following day Lord ICitchener inspcctod-the famous 203 Metro Hill and tho mrisoum of war relics.' He left Port Arthur by a special train for tho riorth, a largo number of. officials, officers, arid private individuals assemliling' 'at the station to bid ' him farewell. Lord Kitchener and his suite arrived at Baiton station, six miles south of Liaoyang, oil November 23. They alighted from tho traini and, under the guidance of an officer . specially, sent - from the ' headquarters of tho Japanese Armyi in Manchuria, visited on horseback Chusan; Pao, where tho sanguinary battle, of Liaoyang took place. Tho; party left Liaoyang by train for; Mukden on the same day. - . At Tokio. : ; : Lord Kitchener arrived at Tokio on tho .afternoon of December 2. Troops were drawn up in lines on both sides of the ;»ato from the' station '.' to ' tho' Shiba I'alace, while a squadrhn of cavalry was stationed I 'at.'tho entrance.Waiting at tho station -to .welcome Lord Kitchener woro . Marshal' Prince; Oyama, General Viscount Terauclii ■ (Minister . for, . War),'. Admiral Baron Saito . (Minister ' of. the Navy), General Viscount Oku, (Chief of' the General Army Staff),. General , Viscount Oshima (superintendent: of the General Army Training Staff); General Viscount Hasegkva, *• and- L tho military attaches in tho foreign - embassies - and, legations in Tokio. 'On leaving the train, Lord Kitcherior shook hands \rith Priricc Oyama and Viscount Terauchi.; . Prince Oyama' then introduced: the ■ other officers to tho visitor; - At this moment, a salute of 19 guns- was fired in Hibaya Park by ijie, field artillery. On the conclusion of the introductions : and-' greetings, Lord Kitchener, walked , along, the -platform, and, accompanied by Adjutant litzgerdldand Major-Genoral Sir H. Rawlmson, entered a carriage sent from the Imperial Household, and drove to the Shiba falace, which was placed at his, disposal, opiring . his stay. The; 'carriage was escorted by troops of - cavalry, and ■ greeted with enthusiastic, cheers by . the. citizens who crowded the route. During Lord Kitchener's; stay, in. Tokio, ..Major ,Inagaki, {Major Yoshida, and Mr.. A, Sano (Master ,of Ceremonies in the. Imperial Household) were in attendancd.upori him; Lord Kitchener lias been granted the first order of merit, and decorated with the grarid cordon of the Imperial paulowwas granted tho second order of merit and' the double-rayed rising -sun,: . LieutenantColonel Lambton received the third order of merit and the ■ middle ■ cordon of the ■ rising sun, Lord Brooke tho fourth, order of merit'ijnd tho small' cordon of the rising sun; and: Adjutant Fitzgerald the fifth order of merit and tho rising sun. Dinner at the Royal Palace. The Emperor invited Lord; Kitchener and his staff_ to'. dinner at tho RoyalPalace. The invitation was extended to two of the princes of the Jmperial family, and included Sir Claude, Macdonald (British Ambassador), fPririco Yamagata, Prince Oyama, Marquis Tokudaiji (Grand Chamberlain), General Teriaachi (Minister for War), Count Koura .(Minister' for l?oreign Affaire), Prince Iwakura (liinistef for the Imperial' Household), and General: Nakamura (chief A.D.C. to the Emperor).: Some days afterwards Admiral, Baron Saito .(Minister for the Navy) gave a .dinner at the official residence in honour'of Lord Kitchenor.'. Thero were ■present tho British Ambassador, and' the staff of. tho British ' Embassy, Marijuis Katusura ; (Premier Marshal), Prince Yamagata, Admiral Ito, General Oku, Admiral Togo,; and other high officers of Hie army and navy. In the evening Sir Claudo Macdonald gave a dinner at tho Embassy. Besides Lord Kitchener, the Mayor of Tokio and most of the Ministers of • tho ■ State, aiid distinguished officers iof the army arid navy, were invited. Lord Kitchenor was specially .invited by tho Emoeror to inspect the,chrysanthemum at Okasaya Palace, and, to attend a wild duck hunt at Enroyokwan Palhce.