THE WHITE ARMADA

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2268, 13 August 1908, Page 2

THE WHITE ARMADA

CROWDS THRONG AUCKLAND. FUTURE EFFECT OF THE VIiSIT. (From our Special Commissioner.) AUCKLAND, August 12. There are still largo crowds’ in tlio main streets of Auckland, and even the attraction of the races, which drew thousands to Ellerslie, did not seem to appreciably check the tide which flows steadily along Queen Street, yet there is not the density which was apparent on .Sunday and Monday, ifor already visitors are returning to their homes, us fast as trains and steamers will take them. Tim general impression, so far, is one of the utmost satisfaction with tho great naval review and the attendant circumstances, and it is conceded in most quarters that nothing so extensive in the way of celebrations has yet taken place, and the success of the arrangements is unreservedly accepted. Tho occasion is likely to have its effect on tho future of the Dominion, because a number of legislators with whom I have discussed the subject appear to havo been profoundly impressed by the sight of the fleet itself, by tho tenor of the speeches at tho official celebrations, and by their meetings with naval representatives of tho United States. 1 should not ho surprised if such questions as national defence and the ’Frisco mail service were materially affected as the result of the I’arliamentary jaunt to Auckland. i

Admiral Sporry, though not an orator of tho conventional type, knows how to get direct to the hearts of his hearers, and liis compliments in regard to the charms and utility of Auckland harbor havo been greatly appreciated locally.

JACK’S OPINION OF AUCKLAND. Auckland is already becoming used to hoing thronged with bluejackets, and the citizens liavo taken a strong liking to their temporary visitors. AA’herover ono goes in Queen Street (says a reporter of the “New Zealand Herald” in describing liis experiences) one sees groups of “the lads in blue” with new-tfound civilian friends, and the men of both squadrons have fratornised freely. \ou see them linked together, arm in arm, the volatile Yankee sailor and his more stolid British confrere. Does the American Jack like Auckland? “Bather,” earn ono, when tho question was put to him, “it’s a great place. -See here now, it’s real great, and the people, ain’t they just kind to us; it’s a real nice place, one of the best we’ve seen. What has struck you most? “The size of it,” emphatically replied Jack. “Look here, mister, wo folks had no idea how big it was. AA’e reckoned it was quite a little island on the map, hut its a big place when you get there, and we’re telling them at home about you all. They’ll know more about you in the States when they get the mail than they over did before. AVo are sending them picture postcards, tons and tons of them. Your country will ho better advertised in the United States than all tlio Government bureaus could do. Look here,” ho exhibited a huge parcel of pictorial postcards, “these are going to the States, and I’m only one. I reckon there will he New Zealand pictures in every town, village, and suburb of the States after tho next mail get 6 in.” “THE LITTLE lIABF DOLLARS.”

Jack is greatly bothered about English coinage, and he cannot reckon it up into his native dollars and cents. “See hero,” said one, spreading on the shop counter a pile of coins ranging from pennies to sovereigns, “1 can't get tho hang of these. W hat 6 those, anvway?” He picked up a half-crown piece. Its value was explained to him. “But it’s a half dollar piece,” ho persisted. Our half •dollars as wo call them, was the reply, not your half dollar. “lhem ; ” he continued, with a puzzled air. “AA’here does this come in?” “Them ’ was a two shilling piece, and he was given to understand that it was the equivalent, in Auckland, to an American half dollar. Immensely pleased with tlio information, he turned t 0 his mates. “Now chaps,” he said, “you’ll know the little half dollar again, the big one is 12 cents more.” “I was tickled to death when I went into a shop to-day,” said another, “and I luffed, and laffed, and luffed. The girl selling me ‘notions’ said ‘seven shillings and sixpence, please.’ ‘How,’ says I. ‘Seven shillings and sixpence, she says. ‘Make it dollars,’ I says, ‘and I’ll pay now.’ Well, she tried to cnlklate dollars, and I tried to calklate the coin of this country, when sho gave me change of a sovereign, as slio called, it) hut it weren’t no good. I don’t understand it a little hit. The thing that gets mo in a knot most is tho blessed little copper pieces. They ain’t cents and they ain’t dimes, and I don’t know where they come in. Then there’s a little copper worth half of the big copper. My, but it’s a queer coinage.” At the restaurants Jack plies a good knife and fork. In every hour of the day one catches glimpses of bluejackets ill rows, pitching into big meals, what time the harassed proprietor stands at the door anil keeps back the other bluejackets till the relay inside is finished. Jack has taken kindly to the Auckland oyster; in fact,' he takes kindly t 0 anything in tho eating line. Steak and eggs is a favorite dish, and so is liam and eggs, chops and eggs, or anything with eggs. Fish is not much in demand, probably it reminds him too much of the salt water on which ho spends his life. “BEST IN THE NAVY.” Jack's great pride is his ship, liis own ship, the best in the navy. He tells with delight how wonderful she is in every particular. Her good points are ’his never-failing topic of conversation, ami he is an illumination on the subject. Said one, “AVe do everything in <>ur navy on the complete system. One ship is pitted against another. AA r e had a coal competition coming here, and ‘our’ ship, the Nebraska, got through the 24 hours with 58 tons, and kept up the ten knots.” TRIP TO ROTORUA. A HAMILTON AYELGOME. [Pit ess Association.] ROTORUA. August 12. Admiral Sperry and about 200 officers of the American fleet and ten officers of 11.M.5. Encounter, Sir Joseph AA’ard and Lady AA’ard, Hon. Jas. McGowan, members of tho Legislature and lady friends, journeyed to Rotorua by special train. leaving Auckland immediately after the races. A halt of lialf-an-hour was made at Hamilton, where the officers were welcomed by the Mayor (Mr. J. S. Bond) and Councillors, who were also present ns guests of the Government at tea in the Horse Bazaar adjoining the station. VISITORS FOR ROTORUA. [Pimss Association.] AUCKLAND, August 12. The railway traffic continues to be tremendously heavy. Ordinarily twelve or fourteen carriages suffice to cope with the Rotorua traffic, but this morning no less than twenty-one vehicles were attached to tlio express. A crowd of over 1000 people left .at 10 o’clock for the thermal regions. and stations on route, and after the races this afternoon the American officers and another large party filled a second special train for Rotorua. THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. A PEN PICTURE. The escort at the starboard gangway stood alert at attention, there was a rattle of presented arms, a quick, sharp command of “Make "ready there!” to the waiting launch below, and Rear-Admiral Sperry, accompanied bv several members of his personal staff, appeared on deck, and advanced towards the gangway to make his first official visit in Now Zealand waters. " The admirals and commanders of the other battleships were grouped at the head of the gang-

way, to pay tlio visit to the Com-mandor-in-Chief, which is naval etiquette oil arrival of a nation’s licet at another country’s port. ltearA<liniral iSperry chatted with these officers for a lew moments, and civilians standing near had an excellent opportunity of taking in their impressions ol' the man who has led across the Pacific Ocean the greatest licet of battleships that have ever left America. . Admiral Sperry looks every inch a naval commander, He is about the medium height, with a slight, erect figure. His face is keen, resolute, and full of force of character, which is the inherent quality of the man horn to command. As he steps towards the launch one quick glance takes in everything that lias altered tjie well-ordered routine of the flagship since she cast anchor a few moments before. , “Allow -visitors at discretion. with this injunction, peculiarly sailorlike in its brevity, ltear-Admiral Sperry steps into his launch, which immediately heads olf for the smoke-colored hull of H.M.S. Powerful. It is fitting that the first exchange of international courtesies should bo between the Commanders-in-Chief of the English and American squadrons. THE SPENDING CAPACITY. CHIEF BO’SUN’S !STATEMENT. Discussing the spending capacity of the men. of the fleet—and they have already been described as “demons to spend’'’—Air. Henry Hudson (chief bo’sun) estimated it at from 20 to 25 dollars—£4, say. The men would probably draw a full month’s pay . Seamen get 24 dollars a month, ordinary seamen 21 dollars, landsmen in training about 19 dollars. Then the petty officers draw anything from 30 to 70 dollars. “The American sailors,” ho went on, “arc certain to purchase a lot oi things, but while they spend well they cannot be said to waste their money. They are not great spenders in liquor. When wc lay in St. Pedro, lor instance, some of the supervisors ol the school came aboard with the children. after an entertainment ashore, so that the hitter could see a parade in semi-private form. I the supervisors and showed them 250 of our men who had just come aboard after 24 hours’ leave of absence in the city, where everything was open to them, and scarcely one of them ellOW■d a sign, of liquor.”

THE FOOD SUPPLY,

SOME INTERESTING FACTS

“We carry 2100 tons of provisions for the men of the fleet,” said one of the officers of the supply ship Culgoa to a Herald representative on featurmorning, “and the other supply ship, the Glacier, is more heavily stocked than wo are, being 8000 tons to our 6000. The Glacier is with the fleet now. We carry practically all the fleet requires in the way of eatab.es. “One of our holds is pretty full ot flour, and the other of meat, lhere are 535,0001 b. of flour, 520,0001 b of fresh moats, 300,0001 b of fresh vegetables, and there are tinned vegetables, meats, fruits, condensed milk, and other smaller items, in addition to 100,0001bs of sugar. Together we can provision the fleet lor about live months, and some 250 or 275 tons of fresh meats will he loaded at Brisbane. , ~ “More a s an experiment than anything else,” continued tlio officer, “we are carrying quite a stock of dehydrated vegetables, that is vegetables from which the water has been taken. This proves a great saving of space, and moreover the vegetables do not spoil. For all that they are just as good as the real article., the test we made of dehydrated vegetables.betweon San Francisco and New Zealand lias proved most successful. Then we have eggs and milk prepared in a similar way, and reduced to a powder. This experimentalso has proved very successful. We carry our own butter canned, aijd kept at a temperature of about 45 degrees. Engineering stores are also kept on board. Sometimes the battleships take these stores direct from us, but usually the goods are put straight on to the repair ships with the fleet. Each ship is a community in itselt, with a bakehouse, a laundry, a hospital, and a bind to itself. In the sick quarters on the Jjouisiana there is accommodation for 29 men. There is a separate ward for epidemics, .and on the opposite side of the 6liip there is an operating theatre. 11l the bakehouse 12.000 loaves of bread are baked daily. The galley is fitted with the most ingenious labor-saving devicesThe peeling of a bushel or two of that most necessary article of diet, the potato, is the matter of a hand’s turn. Plain, wholesome fare is served to the men, and tlio dishes have a distinctly American flavor. Lunch in the officer’s quarters was somewhat of a proposition to Now Zealanders, many of the dishes being an unknown quantity. Boston brown bread and beans are served up on Sundays, and the recipe for this favorite dish came over in the Mayflower. It is as sweet today .as it ;was then. Tile beer that made Milwaukee famous appears to he tho favorite drink on board for the mid-day meal. AMERICA’S JACK TAR FREE AND EASY. He is different from what we expected—slighter, more volatile, and decidedly younger. A large proportion of tho men of the flagship, tho Connecticut, are apparently barely out of their teens; they are nearly all native Americans. This latter fact is gathered in conversation with them or by listening to them talk. American idioms are plentiful. These at first sound strange to New Zealand ears, but after a few minutes’ talk one gets accustomed to them, and forgets all about them. They have a piquancy when used by an American, but the English or colonial is advised not to attempt them. Here is a characteristic example from an overheard conversation between a blue-jacket and visitor : “Say, na-ow,” asked the former, “can I got a horse in your town this afternoon? I want to go for a ride.” “Certainly,” replied the addressed; “how many do you want?” “Ha-off many? Wal, I guess one will be sufficient to take me for a ride round your soo-burbs.” The American Jack Tar is moro free and easy in his demeanour th in his brother in the British navy, and he seems, on tho whole, to have a better time. The discipline does not appear to be so strict. For one thing, there is far less saluting. After the Connecticut came to anchor .a largo proportion of the men seemed to have liberty to amuse themselves as they liked on the upper deck. They chatted and laughed together in an unrestrained maimer, played with “Bruno,” the ship's pet hear, or the ship’s dogs. The near presence of their officers acted as no deterrent to their hilarity, as it might have done with tho stricter discipline on a British man-of-war. They displayed a lively interest in the country they had just, reached, and asked many questions about it. One question, addressed to a sailor who had just come off from the supply ship Culgoa, would have surprised most Aucklanders if they had heard it. He was surrounded by a small group as soon ns ho got on board, with a unanimous demand for the morning’s papers. “They don’t publish Sunday morning papers in Auckland.” was tho reply, whereat great surprise was expressed.

“Say, now,” naively queried one of the group, “how do people in Auckland got their news on Sunday?” The information was not forthcoming. The men have enjoyed the great cruise immensely. “Not too much to do, and plenty to see,” seemed to he the summed-Mp opinion of the majority. They are looking forward to a pleasant time in Auckland, and were greatly gratified at th(! warmth of the reception accorded the licet. “It was real great, and we’ve heard this is a real line country,’ said one bluejacket. and others in the vicinity emphatically endorsed this opinion. There was a rush for tho Fleet. "Week programmes as soon as they came aboard, and tho groups of men were soon eagerly immersed in the details of the portions of tho program mo devoted to tkoir eutortuinmeut.

They all seemed anxious to get on shore and spend some money. “It’s no good going ashore this aftornoon,” said ono rather mournfully, “because wo have only got dollars.” It was pointed out that means of exchange had been provided, hut the Culgoa mail intimated that ho had been unable to negotiate American money in Queen-street on Saturday afternoon. He was informed how to go about it. “It don’t matter,” said one of the others, “we get paid to-morrow in English money, then we’ll be all right.” Summed up, the impression tho American bluejacket convoys is distinctly favorable. He in frank, ingenuous and intelligent, with a breezy intelligence and raciness which is his own—an American. FLEET NOTES. Tho officers strongly resent the statements which havo been made that the crew of the battleships were made up of many different nationalities. “That is quite untrue,” said one. “No man can enlist in our navy unless he is a citizen of the United States, and practically every person on board is an American. There are a few Japanese cooks and others, but the outsiders will not number more thn 200 out of the 14,000 men comprising the crews.” From conversations with various officers, it .appears that they and the men were strongly desirous of paying a visit to New Zealand, or whose history and physical characteristics they had heard a great deal. They asked which were the best places to visit (luring their short stay, where they should get mementoes of their visit, and then where they could get, to use their own expression, “a good feed. As regards the latter, they all seemed particularly anxious for they said they were tired of the ordinary ship faro. They stated that they were given to understand that they, would receive a hearty welcome to Auckland. “The welcome accorded to every one of us today, however,” one of them went on to say, “was far beyond our expectations. The number of small steamers, loaded to the uttermost, that came out to meet us was surprising, as also was the cheering with which we were greeted. It was immense.”

The report that thousands of men deserted the ships at San Francisco is" given an unqualified denial oil hoard the various ships. “Why,” said one officer, “not more than 56 absconded, and any report to the contrary is an absolute fabrication.” “What!” said i sailor on being broached ojn the subject, “desert! not much! You see we are getting one of the finest trips around the world, and are being paid for it.”