Your Majesty,
Neptune Rex,
Ruler of the Royal Domain.
Of the 960 odd persons on the Louisiana only about 100 had ever crossed the line. The proportion was about the same on all the other ships of the fleet, so it is a fair estimate that 12,500 men were waiting the arrival of Neptune. A wireless message was sent to the Louisiana that his Majesty's secretary and orderly would come on board on the evening of January 5 to make the final preparations for the ruler's visit the next morning. The call for hammocks was sounded about 7:30 o'clock that evening and while the men were aft the officer of the deck, Ensign N. W. Post heard a pistol shot across the bows of the ship followed by:
"Ship ahoy!"
"Aye, aye, sir," said the officer of the deck, giving the accepted greeting for an officer.
"What ship is that? Where are you from and whither are you bound?" came the voice.
"The U. S. S. Louisiana, from Hampton Roads, bound through the domains of his Majesty Neptune Rex for the Pacific Ocean," shouted Post through a megaphone.
"Heave to; I want to come aboard!"
"Aye, aye, sir. Come aboard."