[英文] 小童登艦遊歷　日艦舉行茶會派對

CHILDREN AT PLAY ON A WARSHIP.

JAPANESE SAILORS GIVE A HUGE TEA-PARTY.

The Japanese cruiser Ikoma, which is lying off Gravesend, was changed yesterday from a grim engine of war to a ship vibrating with treble laughter; the boom of her big guns was replaced by the happy voices of hundreds of kiddies, who spent an afternoon with the good-natured little men from Japan, says the London Morning Leader of 23rd ult. - It would be difficult to decide who appreciated the afternoon more - the nimble and smiling little men from the East or their tiny guests from the West who went aboard the great fighting machine bubbling over with merriment and anticipation.

The sailors of the Ikoma were "at home" to the schoolchildren of Gravesend, and at two o'clock the youngsters made their way down the gaily decorated Highest waving Japanese and English flags. They were met at the pier by their hosts, who had gathered every kind of boat which the big cruiser could muster - pinnaces, cutters, longboats, galleys, lifeboats, gigs, skiffs, and dinghies. The children tumbled into the boats and were pulled or "puffed" across to the big grey cruiser, which, they were told, was "Liberty Hall" for the afternoon.

THE MARTIAL SCOUT.

The smiling little men took their guests all over the big ship, and a number of boy scouts who were included in the party were hugely interested in the working of the 4.7 gun, which the Japanese sailors good-naturedly loaded and unloaded for their benefit.

Here and there a sailor would catch hold of a diminutive lady visitor, put her on his shoulder, and take her up the narrow gangway to see the mechanism of the wonderful big guns.

The ship was a world of smiles, and although the visitors understood nothing of Japanese and the sailors as little of English, things went as smoothly and crisply as a frosty morning.

Occasionally the shrill, commanding voice of an officer would ring out. The men would drop the eternal cigarette and perform some martial evolution or swing the great guns round just to show how it was done.

One tiny girl was very interested in the sailors' uniforms. She flirted outrageously with a bashful A.B., and then, when she had quite captured his heart, she criticised his shoes. (Japanese shoes are made with a special compartment for the big toe - a source of much curiosity). Fortunately, perhaps, the little man could not understand English.

Indeed, the attempts to converse with the children were infinitely amusing. Those who happened to know a word or two of English asked the visitors to "spik slow" in order that they might consult their dictionary.

The children were equally curious, and many of them, by dint of endless questioning, learned that "Konnichi Wa" (or something like it) is Japanese for "good day." Perhaps the children intend to test the efficacy of their accent on the Japanese at the White City.

While waiting for tea the little sailors amused their visitors with wrestling bouts, fencing, and boxing.

HOME COMFORTS.

The girls were deeply interested in the lower deck arrangements, and probably they will have much to tell fond parents of what they saw of the home comforts on the 13,750 ton warship.

No effort was spared to make the big tea a success. Four hundred guests with keen appetites require some attention, but the Japanese sailors had everything arranged perfectly, and they waited on their little guests so well that the most insistent appetite could not complain of delay.

The Mayor of Gravesend has organised an entertainment at Rosherville-gardens to-day for the Ikoma's men, at which the children are to sing and dance for the entertainment of their hosts of yesterday.

資料：

1. 宣统二年七月廿一日《士蔑西報》第5頁

   • 庚戌年七月廿一日

   • 公元1910年8月25日（星期四）