THE AMERICAN FLEET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 198, 11 August 1908, Page 2

THE AMERICAN FLEET.

JiJNVUiNU THE COLOiNISTX . JWUTAUN'B EEELLNCS. WLLCVMUNU THE AMERICANS. (fly Cable—Press Association.—Copy right.) Received IU, U. 3 ,">j).iii. London, August IU. Tile 'Times Says lue Briiish rather envy Australasia having i] lL . f n6i „,,. portunity of welcoming the American Hoot, and considers Lite Admiralty acted wisely -i u not attempting to equal t!icdisplay of naval force in Australasian waters. It was better to defer luii greetings until tile -Mediterranean is rcaoheti, when the British Heel ul ironeiads will accord the Americans a hearty welcome. All the residents in Ihi! British Islands wy.li .to associate j themselves, says the Tune;, with Australasia's warm welcome.

THE REVIEW. THE AUCKLAND BRIGADES. By Telegraph.—Press A-isociation. Auckland, Last Night. The troops were reviewed in the Domain this afternoon by die Governor and Admiral Sperry. There were .')0U0 on parade, divided into three brigades, tile Ilrs't being the public school cadets under Lieut.-Uolonel Loveday. The second included the mounted brigade, under Lieut-Colonel Holgatc (including the whole of the four regiments of the Auckland Mounted Rillcs), and the A. battery of the Eield Artillery. The third brigade was made up of the Auckland division of the Garrison Artillery, the first and second infantry . battalions, and the defence cadets. The . display was a splendid one, and was . witnessed by over 20,000 people.

COMMON TIES AND INTERESTS. BRITISH EMPIRE AND AMERICA. ENFORCING THE. PIUNCU'LES OP PEACE. ADMIRAL SPEURY'S GRACIOUS SPEECH. Auckland, Last Night. Admiral Sperry, replying to the Mayor's speech at tlto civic reception, said:

"Nothing e-an give me more pleasure tliau to accept this address as a most cordial and gracious souvenir of this welcome extended to the fleet which I have tilie honor to represent. It is peculiarly fitting that there should lie the strongest possible tics of amity and friendship between two nations of common ancestry, common blood, common traditions and common aspirations, and that friendship is doubly cemented by the fact that we realise that the tw'o nations have done so much for tin:

peace of the world, ami are a large factor in everything that tends to happiness and progress throughout tin world. (Applause). I'he Imperial in terests of both great nations- in tin

Pacific are the. same. From New Zealand at the lowest point of the Dominion to the uttermost point of the Phillippines and from New Zealand in the nonUi-cast towards Hawaii and the coast of the United States, there is an unbroken chain of common interest, common interests which to-day are only beginning to dewlop, common interests the magnitude of wiliich it is almost impossible for us to appreciate. It is growing from day to uay with the expansion' of trade and the opening of the Panama Canal, and common interests need common protection. It is very well and it is essential that the prin,-

ciples of peace should oe settled by the Hague Conference, but it is essential that there should be some guaJaiite*' that those principles will be followed, and tilie two great ileefs which meet together in Auckland and with' common interests make for that peace. (Applause). They make for the AngloSaxon peace "througnout the Pacific and throughout the world. It is fitting tha.t Imperial interests should be recognised as common, and are being promoted by our two executive heads, but it is peculiarly lilting that on this occasion we should recognise the tact that the basis of friendship between 1 our two great nations must lay in the people, and it is particularly accepuuue that we should lind here a greeting extended to us from uvery city, from boroughs and municipalities in every part of New Zealand. In the streets it i--

peculiarly gratifying to see that each county, borough, and each municipalily has sent a token of its welcome. They are from representatives of the people and represent their sentiments where people are unable to represent themselves by word of month as they have)' been doing nil this morning m the streets— (laugiiter and cheers)—lo our very great gratification. Ships can be bought with money, uut men and souls cannot be bought with money (applause), and the life of our fleet, which we cannot replace if it is ill-trained and not lies in the men ol the fleet, to whom you have extended So cordial, gracious) and generous a welcome. On bplialf of the officers and men, I thank you all most cordially for your welcome. Nothing has been left undone or unplanned that the heart can desire."

THE SPECTACLE BY NIGHT'. "A GLUIP.SE OF AiNOlllElt LAND." MARVELLOUS J IJ-.UJWLNATTONS. Auckland, Last Night. It was a night in fniryland to-night. The city itself, with the. tower of the Government Buildings outlined in electric lights, lilie mammoth "Welcome" blazing hospitality from everywhere, and all the streets a glitter with myriads of lights outlining the most prominent buildings and thoroughfares, presented a rave spectacle, but the 10; great vvsscls of the fleet, outlined in lights, outdid the most pretcnsional efforts of the city in the way ol illumination.

With every spar and stack outlined in ligbts, their names blazing from the signs on their forward turrets, the warships looked like a glimpse into some land controlled by forces other than, those of this material earth. Each vessel stood out distinctly in the water, which was as calm as a lake. Not a wave disturbed the surface of the bay, except those made by the small launches that darted in and out of the circle of light around the warships. Thousands thronged along the waterfront to see the wonderful sight of the brightly illuminated ships, and the displays of fireworks.

On land, the illumination was almost as brilliant. Public ollices outlined in electric lights presented a spectacle such as has seldom been seen in the city. Queen street, strung with streamers of incandescent globes, was a blaze of ligiht. At the street corners there were festoons of lights, and all the way down the streets, on every block, many business people had outlined their snops and ollices in lights. Tens of thousands of people are in the streets. FOUlt THOUSAND TARS ASHOKE. POLICING THE TOWN. Auckland, Last Night. Over 4000 of the American •'.Tafk Tars" are ashore to-night, The navy is itself policing tilie town, the main streets being regularly patrolled, SISAKCJI Lit! IIT EXERCISE. A BIHLIJANT DISPLAY. Auckland, Last NMit. From 8 o'clock until 8.30 the battleships were engaged in searchlight exercise. Two lights from every s ],ip am | three and four from most of (hem) threw out great wide streamers of light that swept the hay and the sky making a display that'could be seen for miles. There was no order in the searchlight «w.rciso. Each vessel did as it pleased with its great eves, and some of the time when (he, shaft's of light crossed each other (here was a blaze, of wihitcness that showed every fold in the clouds and frightened birds to the cover of darkness.

A UIiEAT HAN^UICT. KMU-lUSUSTIoTKOUHJSDINfis. *'■' Auckland, Last NHit in the evening, Admiral Spovry ami t'lift ollieers of the American fleet were entertained nt a hnnqup.L in the Drill Hall by the Government of New Zealand. The large' building was prettily decorated and about 1.100 guests sat down. The Prime Minister presided having on his right the Governor and' on his left Admiral Sperry. 'flic proceeding generally were of'the most enthusiastic character, and the toasts of "The King" and "L'vesident liooscvelt" "The Governor," "The United States Navy.' and "The British Xavy" were honored. The Governor, in replying to bis toast, inado a particularly happy speech, referring to the sinoarily of Nc.w Zealand's welcome to the American fleet and the friendship of the British Empire to the other great AmrlnHaxon people. Sir Joseph Ward, proposing the health of Ad»**l Sperry, said navies

and enlightened nations did not exist, lor aggression or conquest hut ;or protection against oppression and lor saleguarding uie nation's greatest asset, iUs national honor. Admiral jsperry, in reply, said the nns-.ioii ol lite American ileet was peace witli justice, and so long as it' Hoaktl undeleulea no enemy eomd cross tile seas either to America or New Zealand. He thanked .New Zealand tor tile muguiiivuil reception accorded tile visiting battleships. i'AXINC THE SEAJIEN.

BIUUEST CASH PAYMENT EVER MADE IN AUSTRALASIA. Auckland, Last Night. To-day Uie sixteen paymasters of ilio licet visited the Bank of .New South Wales. Each was accompanied by a . sturdy sailor carrying a suggestive looking stout feather bag. Last week ilie pay-day of the ile;t fell due, and, as uncle Sam's sailorman draws about. Uie most liberal pa/ of any Tar in' Uie world, the pocket money of over 1:2,0110 men is not a little item. For the purpose a store of specie had boon collected at Uie Bank, some from Wellington, and some arriving yesterday from Sydney, for probably Uie biggtsst cash payment ever made iu Australasia. At a quarter past nine Consular-licu-eral l'rickctt, of U.;.-'.A., walked into We flank, introduced the chief paymaster to the manager, and the process of counting out over 80,000 English sovereigns began. As it was told out it was promptly bagged and booked, ami the whole glittering process was over quicker tilnin it will take even the American Jack Tars to spend it. The money is exchanged into American money on board, and probably a large port of it will filter back to shore and tie coffers of the bank in the course of tire week.

ACROSS THE PACIFIC. Auckland, Sunday. I The trip to New Zealand, it was gathered, had not been eventful, There had been, one or two minor troubles in the engine-rooms, and during a portion of the latter part of Uie journey the weather bad been very the worst met with since the llect left the Atlantic seaboard. Nevertheless, the vessels bad been in danger of arriving ahead of time, and a slow pace had t> ho observed during the last few days. Beyond that the officers had little I" say. They were enjoying! the world cruise; they had been treated well by everyone, and they were glad to meet New Zealanders.

ON BOARD A BATTLESHIP. , A representative of the Wellington Times spent tin' afternoon aboard the Connecticut, anil found the American sailor an interesting person. He was made free of the ship in simple fashion. "Certainly, go anywhere you like," remarked a tall yoitng officer with an American accent that was the real unadulterated article—"that is, an) where

where people are allowed to go." Tne reservation, the reporter discovered later, applied to turrets, torpedo decks, and one or two other places. The American bluejacket comes as something of u shock on first acquaintance. He is enormously self-confident, and he records hU views on things without hesitation, even if his admiral is concerned. The reporter heard within a few minutes that the Connecticut was the liest ship of the best navy in the world, and that it held most of the world's records for big-gun shooting. "Yes, sir, this is a fleet," said one American, aged about twenty-two, j clad in an old blue uniform. "We can take on anything that anyone likes to fetch along. We don't mind the Japs. A sure thing! They can have it any time they like. The President told lis that" before we left. Fifteen njinules I reckon it would take us. We could tow three or four Japanese ships behind us." This wiuVnot said boastiugly. It was a statement of conviction shared by some hundreds of men aboard the same vessel. The feeling of the men towards Britain was decidedly friendly. "We ought to stick together," was the ver-' diet of several men. "We know the English sailors, and we like them, We had a good time with them at Coney Island." The freedom of action and word allowed the bluejackets impressed a Britisher as remarkable, but it would not be right to say that the discipline was loose. Orders were obeyed smartly and promptly, and it was only the'method of obedience that was different from the British system. A group of men played with a he ar and it terrier within fifteen feet of a gangway at which a group of visiting naval officers were standing. When u call was made for « messenger to find someone a bluejacket left the bear and responded cheerfully, "Yes, sir, I'll find him if lie is anywhere about." He found him all right, and did it promptly. Un every boat there is a young black' hear, presented by people in the State ot Washington. These are, the navy milscottes.

Eighty thousand pounds' worth of English money is to be taken aboard the fleet to-morrow for the payment of the men. The fleet is to leave at 8 a.m, next ■ Saturday for Svdney. THE BATTLESHIPS.

■ HISTORY OF THE VOYAGES. The fleet left Hampton Koads on Kith December last, under • Rear-Admiral Evans, a veteran sailor, who commanded until reaching San Francisco, when, owing to illness, he was succeeded by Rear-Admiral Spcrry. Rear-Admiral Evans then retired from the sea, aftor forty-one years' service. From Hampton Roads the fleet had a run of 178(1 miles to Trinidad. The next run was 2000 miles to Rio dc Janeiro, and a further 2230 miles brought the armada to l'unta Arenas, in the Straits of Magellan. Turning North, the fleet steamed 2850 miles up the west coast of South America to the Peruvian port of Callao, and another 3012 miles brought them to Magdalena Bay, California. One thousand miles more and San Francisco was reached, where elaborate preparations had been made for their reception and for celebration of the successful voyage round South America. Up to this time the fleet had been sixty-throe days at sea and fifty-two days in th.3 various ports named. A trip to l'uget Sound and hack to San Francisco accounts for 1800 miles, and thou the fleet proceeded to Honolulu (2060 miles). The stage which finished nil Sunday—Honolulu to Auckland—consists of 3815 miles. i

Thus this great fleet—which was made doubly greater in the /Pacific, when it was joined by a dozen cruisers and several smaller vessels—has covered altogether 21,500 miles. The management of such a cruise; the victualling of men exceeding a score of thousand in number; the coaling of the warships—each in itself a huge, task, and collectively n colossal one—have been carried out in n manner and with a completeness which Ims enabled the commanding Admiral to keep his engagements to the hour.

The battleships are ag foil ow:— Tonnage. Speed. 'onecticut . 10,000 .18 knots Ijotiisiiina .. . 111,1)00 18 knots Kansas . 10,000 18 knots, Vermont . 10,000 18 knots Oorgia . 15,320 10 knots Virginia . 15,320 10 knots Siew Jersey . 15,320 10 knots Rhode Island . 15,320 10 knots Minnesota .. . 16,000 19.6 knots Ohio . 13,500 18 knots Maine . 13,500 18 knots Missouri . 13,500 18 knots Alabama . 11,505 17 knots Illinois . 11,505 17 knots vearsarge .. . 11,540 10 knots Kentucky .. . 11.540 10 knots