MANY RUMOURS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18364, 23 April 1925, Page 9

MANY RUMOURS.

—«— AMERICAN FLEET'S CRUISE

ALLEGED CHANGE OF PLANS.

(BT CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION'—COPTIHGIIT.) (AUSTRALIA* AXD Jf.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received April 22nd, 5.3 p.m.)

NEW YORK. April 'JI

Opposition to the Fleet's visit to Australia and Now Zealand appears to have been revived in a new formHumours have suddenly become current that Mr C'oolklge may cancel or modify the Fleet's proposed Australian and New Zealand itinerary. It is interesting to note how those rumours spring up. The Australian Press Association received a wireless message from the- Tennessee, now in Hawaiian waters, saying that a report to tins effect was current in the. Fleet, indicating, one rumour alleges, that only five battleships will ultimately be sent to Australia and New Zealand, and the same tvessels will also visit Japan in order to nullify Japanese i'ccling. The Naval Intelligence Office, Washington, commenting on the report, said there was no present change of plans.

Various New York newspapers arc now printing dispatches from Washington reiterating the same rumours, but pointing out that there is little likelihood that Mr Coolidgo will make any changes. The plans have been so tar advanced that changes would be misinterpreted or even react unfavourably upon the Fleet personnel. Some correspondents intimate it is feared that Australian and Now Zoalaud enthusiasm at tho Fleet's reception would be misconstrued by Japan, or that impolitic utterances during the Fleet's stay would have a bad effect in tho Far East. Tho best opinion definitely indicates that the plans will bo carried out as announced without important modifications. Mr Coolidge may personally reiterate to the Japanese Ambassador what the Navy Department already has mado clear, namely, that tho cruise is only a technical manoeuvre -without any other purpose. Official Japaneso opinion, moreover, seems to have also been definitely convinced of the sincerity of this position.

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA & N.Z. COMPOSITION OF THE TWO SECTIONS. Mr H. P. Bridge, Consular Agent for the United States in Christchureh, has received from the Consul-General in Wellington the following paraphrase of a eablo message received from the American Consul-General at Melbourno relativo to tho movements of the American Fleet during its visit to Australian and New Zealand waters; it contains some details not included in the Press cable mossagc from Washington published on tho 15th inst.: — "A cablegram was received from the Consul-Gencral at Melbourne, transmitting the contents of a message from the Department of State, in which this -office wa3 informed that there had been a slight modification in the plans for the fleet visit. The present plans, which arc not expected to be changod except »undcr unforeseen circumstances, aro as follows: — "The section of the fleet for Melbourne and Wellington will consist of a flagship, three battleships, a division of four light cruisers, and twenty-eight destroyers, which will have a light cruiser as a flagship. This section will arrive at Melbourne on July 23rd, and will leave on August 6th. The light cruiser division, however, will leave Melbourne on August 3rd, and will arrive at Hobart on August sth, leaving there on August 7th. All these ships will arrivo at Wellington on August i 11th, and will depart on August 24th. | "The section visiting Sydney and Auckland will consist of tho battle fleet flagship . and two battleship divisions, eight battleships in all. This i section will arrive at Sydnoy on July ! 23rd, and will leave on August 6th, arriving at Auckland on August 11th, and leavo there on August 25th. Tho auxiliary vessel section will be distributed according to the need then existing. "It should be noted that the vessels will arrive at Sydney and Melbourno simultaneously under the present plans. Tho Navy Department has abandoned the plan of detailing vessels to visit Adelaide, Newcastle, Christchureh, and Dunedin, due to the exigencies of the service.

"It was requested that this office inform the consular officers and agents in New Zealand. The State Department's cablegram was signed'by Mr Kellogg and transmitted from Melbourne by Mr Anderson."