AMERICAN FLEET'S VISIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 143, 8 June 1908, Page 2

AMERICAN FLEET'S VISIT.

COAL SUPPLIES TO THE BATTLESHIPS. CHARACTER OF THE CREWS. Per Press Association. Christchurch, Saturday. The big tramp steamer Otterburn, at present discharging coal at Lyttcltou from Newcastle, was one of the British steamers chartered to supply coal Lo the American fleet on their voyage to San Francisco. A Press reporter had an interesting chat with Captain D. Swan, master of the Otterburn, regarding the American Meet. "A remarkable fact," remarked the captain, "is that the whole of the coal supplied to the licet on its passage round from the Atlantic to the Pacific was carried by British steamers. Twen-ty-three of them were chartered for the business, and they coaled the licet at Trinidad, llio de Jauiero. Punta Arenui, Callao, and Mngdalena Bay, there being six of us at the latter place. 1 asuco a number of the American officers how they would get on with coaling in the event of war, and they admitted that that would be a difficulty." Captain Swan staled that the coal supplied to the lleet cost about Us a ton put on board his vessel at Philadelphia, and added to this there was a freight of 25s lid per ton for IiIXJU tons carried by the Otterburn lo Magdalena Bay. He also stated that he had received word that a new steamer named the B»n----nockburn, built for his lirm and launched this month, was to have been chartered to load a cargo of American coal from New York (Va.) to Sydney, a distance of about 14,000 miles.

"The American ships carry everything witji them. The store ships are the Glacier (formerly the Port Chalmers) and the Calg'Oa, both of which were at one time regular traders from Australia to England. TheSe vessels have insulating holds.and carry large supplies of American frozen mutton and beef for the licet. The battleships themselves are also well stocked with all kinds of stores. The storcships also carry pressed vegetables, preserved meat and fish, and even the supplies for the menb canteen right down to candy and chocolates, and goods yf that sore. They will make all their own bread on board their ships from American Hour, which they tarry themselves. "They certainly live very well," continued Captain Swan, "and 1 was informed by some of their officers that the feeding of the 14,000 men costs 35' cents. per day per man. They scemen to he a fairly good crowd of men, and were in good health. The officers are also a good lot. but they are not the same class as the officers of the British Xavy. They seem to he in the navy to earn their living, and they snid jilainly that they hud no money to spend, and that thry could do no entertaining, as they had not got the cash. Civic and Coverniuent officials will lie royally entertained, but as far as public entertainments by the officers and men themselves is concerned there will 'be very little of that."