japan welcomes the fleet

The card above was issued for the visit of the American Fleet to Yokohama in October 1908.  It depicts the Commander of the Fleet, Admiral Sperry with his flagship, the battleship Connecticut.  The card has the commemorative cancellation from "Tokio" Station.   

From the first moment the fleet met the Japanese people to the time of departing, it was clear that Japan desired to show the American's genuine friendship.  By the end of the visit no one believed they had received anything but the most sincere welcome from the Japanese people.  The Japanese people loved postcards more than the Australians or Americans.  For the American Fleet of 1908 there would be no exception, they pulled out all the stops.  Click the postcard above to see more of the postcards from the fleet visit to Yokohama. 

the composition of the fleet

The Fleet was comprised of two squadrons, each of eight ships.  First Squadron comprised on 1st and 2nd Division and, Second Squadron comprised of 3rd and 4th Division.

Departing Hampton Roads, Admiral Bob Evans was Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet, and Commander of First Division, Second Division Admiral Emroy, Third Division Admiral Thomas, Fourth Division Admiral Sperry.  Leaving San Francisco, Admiral Charles Sperry was Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet and Commander of First Division, Admiral Wainwright Second Division, Admiral Emory Third Division, and Admiral Schroeder Fourth Division.  To Learn More Follow this LINK.

photographers of the uss georgia

Two entrepreneurial musicians on the USS Georgia produced over 1000 different postcards of the cruise around the world.   Brown & Shaffer from before the start of the cruise till months after the cruise photographed all aspects of shipboard life, and the events and sites of each port.

They had a system of taking the photograph, numbering them, and then posting them in a place where they could receive orders from crew members.  They would then print them and pass along the photos for a small sum.  Finding out who they were was a mystery.  The roster of the crew of the Georgia has two Shaffers and four Browns.  Since it is clear that they had been in the Navy for at least 5 years before the cruise began, (because of the photographs from 1904 in China), it can be assumed they had reached the rank of petty officer.  Interestingly enough there was a Musician First Class L. L. Shaffer, and a Musician Second Class H. O. Brown.

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