1899 Japanese Ashore in San Diego, CA

Here's an interesting tidbit from the 19th Century. This was reported in Harper's Weekly July 1899.

JAPANESE SAILORS ASHORE FROM THE GUNBOAT “HEIYI" AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

THE Japanese gunboat Heiyi carries sailors and marines who are well up to the mark in point of discipline, and
who can row cleverly. Proof of these facts was offered at San Diego, California, towards the end of June, when the United States government showed its friendship for Japan by making an exception to the rule that no foreign power may place armed forces on American soil. The illustrations above show the men who were landed at San Diego for the purpose of drill. Evidence of the careful attention paid to shore drill by the Japanese navy was afforded to Americans on the Atlantic coast on the occasion of the launching of the Japanese cruiser Kasagi. While the Heiyi was at San Diego its boat crew won a very exciting six-oar barge-race from a crew representing our Naval Reserves.