August 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



559 



Dr. Muller Holds a Farewell Reception. 



DR. LAURO MULLKR, Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, 

 and special envoy to this country, sailed for home on the 

 I6tli of July on the Brazihan warsliip "Minas Geraes." A 

 few days before his departure — on Friday, July 11 — he tendered a 

 reception on this warship, which was then anchored in the North 

 River at the foot of 79th street, New York, to the officers and 

 representatives of the various official, civic and commercial or- 

 ganizations whose hospitality had kept the ambassador so ex- 

 tremely busy during the four weeks of his visit. About six hun- 

 dred invitations were extended, including some to people not 

 connected with official or civic bodies but personally interested 

 in Brazil and the development of her vast resources. Among 

 these invitations was one to the editor of The India Rubber 

 World, who spent some months last winter in the great South 



part of the reception. The young Brazilian officers, by the way, 

 showed themselves quite as clever at these dances as the Amer- 

 ican girls who acted as their partners. They could dance to- 

 gether even if they could not converse together, for very few of 

 the younger officers knew much English, and not many New 

 York girls are very deeply versed in Spanish or Portuguese. But 

 this lack of a common linguistic ground was merely an incident 

 and did not interfere at all with the general enjoyment of the 

 occasion. 



Among those present were Major General Thomas Barry, com- 

 mander of Governor's Island ; Captain (jleavcs, of the Navy 

 Yard ; Captains Smith and Rodcman, of the American dread- 

 naughts "Arkansas" and "Delaware," which acted as convoys 

 for the "Minas Geraes"; Ambassador De Gama; Lewis Nixon, 



The Brazili.^n Warship "Minas Geraes." 



American Republic, and who had the honor at that time of meet- 

 ing the eminent Brazilian secretary. 



The reception was held from 5 till 7 o'clock, and the launches 

 of the worship were kept constantly plying to and from the 

 pier, bringing the coming and returning the departing guests. The 

 ship itself was an extremely attractive spectacle, being decorated 

 from stem to stern with the flags of all nations, but particularly 

 with a great number of Ainerican and Brazilian flags, which 

 practically formed a canopy over the deck. The band of the 

 "Minas Geraes" proved adept in American music — not to men- 

 tion a variety of "tango" and "turkey-trot" pieces ; which by no 

 means went to waste, as at least two hundred couples took part 

 in the dancing on the deck, which continued through the greater 



Charles M. Schwab, and many other representatives of American 

 industries particularly related to matters in Brazil. It might be 

 said in passing, that the refreshments, including wines and cigars, 

 were supplied on a lavish scale, and were enjoyed with hearty 

 American appreciation. 



Dr. Miiller paid a very graceful tribute to American hospitality 

 in the following words : "I came to America to pay oflf a debt. 

 but I find I will leave it owing a still greater one. The people 

 here are most cordial, in spite of their industrial energy. In fact, 

 I think the United States a great nation. I regard your country 

 as a world within a world. Your progress has been wonderful in 

 commerce and everything else as well. I am delighted with this 

 event." He gave further expression to this feeling of pleasure 



