AMERICAN FLEET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19475, 9 May 1925, Page 15

AMERICAN FLEET.

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA’. RECEPTION ARRANGEMENTS. (Fbom Oub Own Coeeespondbnt.) SIDNEY, April 30. With the arrival of the American Sect .scheduled for less than three months hence, oftichil committees in each of the three cities to he visited —Sydney, Melbourne, anil Hobart—are actively organising the means of receiving, welcoming, and tmt*-r-i Tuning the visitors. An even .heartier welcome is assured to the ships and their complements than was given the Dec: which visited our shores in 1908. In the intervening period the bonds of friendship have been knitted more firmly, partly by the test of war, partly by the ramifica i tions of commerce. The executive committee appointed in Sydney to look after the arrangements con- . sists wholly of Ministers and officials. it 3 main duties being to control departmental arrangements and the expenditure of funds. Its first work will be to appoint other committees composed of representative citizens, who will be able to render valuable assistance in carrying into effect the programme decided by the Government. These committees will include those . for illuminations and decorations, sports, entertainments, press, transport, and invitations. During the visits of the Prince of Wales and the Special Service Squadtons, a “secret" Invitation committee was appointed by the executive. Every appli- , cation for an invitation to a function was passed on by individual' members of the executive to this committee. Life for members of Die “secret - ’ committee thereupon became intolerable. Everybody who was anybody in the city wanted invita i (ions. Every St#to and Federal member of Parliament, for instance, insisted, upou a score of invitations to scatter among hia constituents. 'This same demand is expected to make itself manifest this time, so the “secret” committee again -comes into being to sift the many applications. An interesting sidelight on tho traditional jealousy between ‘Sydney and Melbourne has been provided by the fleet’s visit. At first all the battleships were coming to Sydney, and only the destroyers to Melbourne. Influence from the southern capital induced the Australian Commissioner in ■ tho United States to make representations to the naval authorities at Washington which resulted in the itinerary of tho, , vessels being changed. Sidney will now only see five battleships and two or throe tenders. Melbourne will have four battle- . ships, four light cruisers, two mine-layers, and two destroyer squadrons, numbering in all forty ships. This is tho fleet which will later visit Wellington, the Sydney portion going to Auckland. • This unequal distribution of the vessels, prompted' hy Die jealousy of Melbourne, , has incensed some of the bodies which must share tho entertainment and welcoming of the fleet. Tho‘ Sydney harbourside suburb of Mosman, for instance, voiced its disapproval when one alderman moved, a motioi that ; “In view of the fact that a studied insult is offered to Sydney by the Melbourne authorities in arranging f(W the visit of 40 ships to Melbourne as against only five to Sydney, tho capital of the Mother State, this council resolve not to incur any expense in any entertainment of the American fleet upon its arrival here in July next.” Happily, for the sake ol Sydney’s sportsmanship and goodwill, the Mayor ruled the motion out of order, but ■ there is no gainsaying that the motion ex- ■ pressed what many .Sydney people are thinking. '