U.S.A. FLEET.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1925, Page 1

U.S.A. FLEET.

[Australia A X.Z. Cable Association.] ( 111 I.RRENbS CURIOSITY, AVI I Ad’ DID 11A I’l’KX. SYDNEY. July Jd. hour children had a remarkable escape I rum death while playing in the street at Chippendale, when a liuie hoy dropped a lighted uiateii down a sew,’rage manhole, " dust to see what would happen." There was a tremendous explosion, and the four children wore hurled into the air and badly injured. Windows in buildings for a hundred ieet around were shattered. A horse and sulky standing nearby was almost lilted into the air by the force of the explosion. The animal was enveloped in a sheei oi iiame, its tail, inane and hair being prac tie: illy all burnt off. The children wer* sent to the hospital. One. Yimviil Dory, aged ■'). is in a serious c nniitmu. CROWDED STRMKTS. MELBOURNE. duly i’ll. Despiie the fuel that the precession of sailors and marines was not due to start till half past twelve, I hun-ands of spectators had taken up positions in the main streets hv nine o’clock, and hue comers were hardly able to obtain even a clniiee at ike marking tars, liven guests of t: - I. oniluouu call It ai tin* sa!i:tin, ha-e were in liicir positions a good two hours before the procession was due to pass, lie fore the liual section had got level with Dovermu Dem-ral Kor-icr. the crowd had jostled its way through and the las! unit, had a struggle to keep even a semblance of formation, some people actually getting between the ranks of the bandsmen. Oilicial call- were made hv the Admiral on the I’.nme .Minister, State Premier and other oll'mials. who returned the mils nil tla' Seattle later in the afternoon, and in the evening the senior officers of the I'Tcet were entertained at diom r by the Dovernor.

OBJECTS OK CRUISE. M K.L.-80l T{ XIT J uly -Jo. James Y. MeCliutiek. a uiciiilh'i- sd the I lined Slate- Congress who is a passenger aboard the ITS. Oklahoma states: “This visit is mu a demonstration of the naval power of the I niied States, and it is wrong In alii go that again-! u-..” lie deprecated any sugge-t ion that llio Meet's cruise was intended as a demons! ration ol the power of his country in the Pacific, or oven as an indication that she was seeking to establish a naval pre-einiu-

(■irv. lie was emphatic in the opinion that, the only object of the cruise was to increase the general efliciene.v of the men. particularly in the direction of giving them exponent 00l long cruises, away I’min bases. M At-Ml* It KXT SI’KCTACLE. SYDNEY. duly 26. The chief feature of ye-lorday'.- n' t t'lehra t ion - a- a Yeni-lian Carnival at night. Ihc harbour presented a magnificent -'p •t, |. being lit tup l, v the -can blight.; from the American war-hip-. A splendid disj lay of fireworks lellew ed. Immeu-e i nnvils gathered (a the fore-1 and at- all the commanding pc-iu n in the city and llm suburbs. .1 \( KC IT.INC A I SYDNEY sV! > X !*; Y . July 26 riming Saturday: -i-l 'eg jn - -d American olfmcr- and limn bumd then wav to the Kandwick Meet races, and to other -ports. Hundreds of the naval- ri allied the street-, and at iiieni time they invade.l tie* city. TTiott-and-,;t them crowded the theatres and picture .shows, helped by a big influx of people who luid come to view (he fireworks display. Strong patrols from the warships. lake -lion work of any recall itrauis. had a Int-y time ill clearing up .stragglers. Considerable numbers of the visitors aiv taking full advantage of the open hotels. strung apical- are appearing m the pre-s. urging stricter measures on the pact of both the local, find the Meet authorities to protect the army of youthful visitors against ihein-clt o-, ami those taking advantage of their wen !v . AT MELBOURNE. M EbROU K.X IT July -lb ■fhc 'it'' was lit up by -can-blights and was gay last. . night. The .streets everywhere were thronged, and the theatres were crowded, including r big sprinkling »f the Americans who wan* enjoying shore leave, ihoii--ands strong. Many of them were belli,,- entertained by residents at pnruc- and there were- other functions in their honour. ['here was also ft special race meeting in honour of Dm visit, and it proved one of the day's attractions. During the late hour- ol h riday night and early on Saturday morning the taxi drivers and pic men reaped a rich harvest from hundreds of the hungry benighted seamen, who had [est their hearings In the dense fog. and it was well into the forenoon before many of them recovered their sail-

mg directions. MI . LOU I? XI 7 -■ .1 nly 20. A il.-ii.--e fug dost ended on t ln- city |., s t iij elit mill “liu~-lio<l" m:i ny oi l ' H ' ■Vmorican sailors who were wand-r----im, the city. -Many of them found 1„.7k at the Y.M.C.A. ih-iel. Some more found other lodines, hut many spent the night in the streets. Iloats sent from the American wnr--.liipi were uimhle to locate the pier in the foe. thus stranding many of the units, who otherwise would have I,eon comfortably in bed aboard.

A SYDNEY BANQUET. SYDNEY. July 2-5. The only serious en;-afoment- for the

Americans yesterday was the Commercial Travellers’ Association banquet in the evening at which the chief quest, Admiral Robinson, who was detained fiy other duties, arrived late. Three times the band was misled by false lerorts of his entry and stink up “The Star Spangled nßimer” It-font lie actually arrived. Til 1C VERANDAH COLLAPSE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) ME DROIT! XK. July 2d. There were ITS people injured in the verandah collapse. In the hustle of giving first aid 11 sorts of make-shitts had to la* pre.-sed into service. In some cases. -iKt stockings from drapers -imps were u-e.l as bandages. Three of the victims are in :i critical condition. Tin: IT EET OX SUNDAY. ,SYDXKY. July 27. There wa- no cliiciid engagement in either Sydney or Melbourne to-day. The religions organisations and ehurehr- ctnnhined in looking after the men’s 'moral interest, making them feel at home. Specially Kit tractive (services were held in many of the churches. The Americans were present in goodly numbers in the streets and holiday resorts. Tw„ cities disclose a good .sprinklin'.'' of the visitors who thus early in their stay managed to pick up lady consorts. Till’. FLEET'S sympathy. MELBOURNE, July 26. The liveliest remembrance ,nf the iimivh of the two thousand Americans through the* city on Friday is the prompt and effective aid rendered, thus preventing a .-lainpedc. and reselling the wounded when the verandah collapse occurred. The sailors’ work won warm places in the hearts of the Victorian-. The procession was held up for forty minutes till the wounded were removed and the line ol march cleared from the invading crowds. During the long cold wait, both seamen and spectators showed commendable reserve and patience. Alter the acci'lent Admiral County, sent: ihc bold .Mayor the ITcet's sympathy with the injured, adding that: ‘•if anything can he done to assist, consider us all at your immediate serve o.’’ THE VAXES TAKEN DOWN. SYDNEY. July 2.1 The polite in hot It Sydney and Melbourne have received numerous complaint- that visiting' sailors are being taken -down by -harpers, some ol large sums. The police advised the sailors to leave money beyond their actual requirements in a safe place.

VISITORS TO FI/EET. SYDNEY. July 21 One hundred and forty-live thousand vi-itur.- inspect'd the American warskips. V ERA.\’D \!f VICTIMS ITioOHESS--IXO. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) ME'bRODENT;. July 21 Excepting throe who are still in a -.-lion- condition, all 111.- victim- <J the verandah collapse are | t cgre-.-.iiig -a l i I;t■ toii!\.