THE FLEET'S VISIT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 199, 12 August 1908, Page 2

THE FLEET'S VISIT

AMERICAN PRESS NOTICES. THE COMMON BOND. WHAT THE NAVY .STANDS FOR. L'llli IMPENDING BACK STRUGGLE. (By Cable.—Press Associatiom.—-Copy right.) Received 11, 10.30 p.m. New iorK, .migusi n. The American Pres s bestow far less notice on the New Zealand reception of tiie licet than the British I'ivss, The New York Herald and Philadelphia Enquirer refer to the common bond that Australia especially and New Zealand have witih the United States, owing to their exposure to the "yellow peril."

■They both say that the whites in the Antipodes obviously are intensely pleased with tlie tangible evidence tliat the United States mean to become powerful enough ill the Pacific to be, if not their champion, a leader in any impending race struggle.

ENSURING PEACE.' THE EMBODIMENT OF AMERICAN SUCCESS AND POWER. Received 11, 10.35 p.m. Now York, August 11. The New York Herald remarks that the American strength in eastern waters should do much to ensure peace. After alluding to the profound impression that Hie battleships have made ill Auckland, the Herald refers to the moral effect that may be produced upon other more impressionable peop'k l by the visible embodiment of tlie re- [ sources and power of the United [.States, and that such effect can only make for peace.

A GREAT NAVAL ENTERPRISE. BRITISH PRESS CRITICISM. Received 11, 10.35 p.m. London, August 10. The Daily Telegraph refers to tuie cruise as one of the greatest naval enterprises the world bus known. Nothing but good can result from such an historic incident. THE ROUND OF GAIETIES. „ JACK ASHORE. ADMIRAL SPERRY'S RECEPTION. A BRILLIANT FUNCi'ION: THE GOVERNOR'S BALL. ! By Telegraph.—Press Association.Auckland, Last -Night. About 3000 nien-o'-warsmeii, mostly American, were entertained ashore today. Thousands were taken the round trip in gaily-decorated tranicars. Eleven hundred witnessed a matinee performed at His Maje.st-}<s "Theatre. 0 <ind others attended concerts in ttfile evening. *

riJiis morning Admiral Sperry (received members «f the New Zealand Council of Defence o,n tihe flagship, apd this afternoon extended llic same courtesy to the Premier and raemlwrs of the Legislature and their wives. The Mayoral reception this afternoon was largely attended, and the ball at Government House at night was crowded and proved a brilliant function. The warships and city were again illuminated,- and the streets were densely thronged throughout the evening.

A SHPOTING MATCH.

AMERICA v. NEW ZEALAND. TROUBLE OVER AN IMPERIAL LAW. « Auckland, Tuesday. The Imperial law. forbids an armed party to land from a foreign warship. For * this reason Cabinet has refused permission for the holding of a rifle match between fleet shooters and the Auckland Volunteers j but, after much negotiation, the difficulty has been j overcome. The Premier has decided to waive the usual regulation and the matcfi will take place 011 Thursday. Melbourne, August 11.

The interpretation put by the Pre'mierv of New Zealand, Sir Joseph Ward, upon the Imperial regulations in reference to landing parties of armud men and his application of thosj regulations to American fleet teams .taking part in ritle competitions, are by no means shared by the Federal Ministers. They do not interpret the Imperial regulations to any such sense. Tile rifle competitions which have been arranged to take., place between Australian and American teams durin'g the fleet's visit to Australia will not be hampered by technicalities. The Prime Minister, interviewed, said: "I know nothing in the regulations wMch would prevent rifle competitions taking placer I am, however, looking into the whole question; The Minister for Defence was even more specific than the Prime Minister. When questioned on the subject, lie) said: "I am quite, satisfied that any desire in which the authorities here are in 'unison with the Admiral of' the American fleet will not Ire hampered by any regulation of any description. With regard to the shooting competition you may rest assured there will not be any hitch caused by any technicalities 111 connection with the regulations as far as the Defence Department is concerned. The permission to land teams with -{heir rifles will require to be given by the Governor-General. I do not anticipate any hitch."

A FATALITY ON THE MISSOURI. Auckland, Tuesday. While tlig, engine-room staff of tlie United States battleship Missouri was attending to the engines a steel shaft fell on a machinist named Paul Gentile, causing injuries i which resulted fatally a few hours later. 1!A1D ON POSTCARDS. ' Auckland, Last Night. ■ At Hie General Post Office this afternoon, between two and five o'clock, an official stamped 882 C postcards destined for America, which were despatched by the visiting sailors. DOMINION' HOSPITALITY. Sydney, August 10. The Sydney Morning Herald, commenting on tile arrival of the American Fleet at Auckland, says:—"Those who know New Zealand know that the Dominion will strain every nerve to make the stay of the fleet at Auckland ft memorable one. If the visit was popular -with the Americans before the fleet arrived, it is certain to be more so with them when they steam away."

THE ADMIRAL'S MESSAGE TO AUSTRALIA. \

Auckland, Monday. The following cable message has been ' forwarded by Admiral Sperry to the Prime Minister of Australia (Mr. Alfred Denkin)"Forty years ago I visited Australia, and carried away only tbe most pleasant memories of a kindly and hospitable people. The officers an ' men of the ileet are keenly appreciate of this exceptional opportunity for Ivl ter acquaintance with the people of X '.v Zealand and Australia, to whom « ;• .11 >• all closely related, and with whom v. have many interests in common." IN QUEEN-STREET AT NIGHT. WORK OF THE NAVAL POLICE. Auckland, Monday. At a quarter past 11 a "Dominion" representative coming from the banquet found Queen-street comparatively quiet, though the eleven and a-half hours' ■leave of the American sailors had Still an hour and a quarter to run. He hailed a burly police constable, and asked him how the crowd had conducted itself during the evening. "Very wel]," was the reply, "both sailors and shore people. There were a good few drunks, but there was no disorder worth mentioning. There were plenty of naval police ashore from the ileet, and as soon as one of their chaps got the least bit obstreperous, or couldn't stand on iiis feet, they pounced upon him like two or three cats on one mouse, and he just had to go. They don't stand any nonsense, and it's a treat for us fellows to wntch them; they carry handcuffs—and they're not afraid to uso them. My word, if wo civil police used civil offenders as they use the Jack Tars the crowd would nearly murder us." TO-BAY IS OFFICIAL PROGRAMME. Race meeting at Ellerslie; Government guests leave for Rotorua by special train; non-commissioned garrison officers! entertain 1(50 American and British non-commissioned officers; 350 American and 50 British men-o'-wars-men vvill.be entertained at the Y.M.C.A. Rooirtaj concert and social) 600 American imd 100 British men-o'-warpmen,! in iu/.ition to 11011 ■commissioned Afaurtt. 4..

party, will bis entertained at the Military Jlall; boxing tournament and smoke concert; Savage Club entertain* 1(10 American and 40 British officers.

THE ADMIRAL'S SPEECHES. Admiral Sperry is a good speaker. One feels that on an occasion when he could let himself go he might even be an orator; but a singly look at his strong weather-beaten luce would convince any student of human nature that the Admiral will never let himself go except at; the proper time and place (wires the special correspondent of Wellington ••Dominion"). His speech impressed those who Were able to hoar it as being, in the American plir.isc, "just so." The impression w.is ,onlirined by his next two speeches, and again a little later at the civic reception. On each occasion he had something and fit to say, ami he said it well. In the first speech there was his compliment to Mew Zealamlcr.i as a people small in numbers but great in achievement. In his (second he made an allusion'to th<! Maoris in terra* of respect and in a tone that carried not a shade of a suggestion of the "Yankee contempt for color," Yet he avoided the other error of telling the white pcoplo of New Zealand what they so often tell each other, namely, that the Maoris are in every way their equals. This speeA came just after' the Hon. Mahuta >e Wherowhero and Mr. Kailiau, M.l\, who wore rich Maori mats, had mounted the dais at the special request of Sir Joseph Ward. The speech in reply to the Harbor Board's welcome must have - made every Aueklander's heart ftlnd with > the pride of local patriotism. The Ad» mirnl's address at the military hall wa» , specially notable for the declaration that * the interests of the British Empire and the United Stytes in the Pacific were common interests, and that their two great navies made for- peace. I RESULTS OF THE CRUISE.

STATEMENT BY ADMIBAL SPERRY.

THE FLEET'S EFFICIENCY INCREASED. Auckland, Monday. Interviewed to day as to the results of flic voyage up to the present time Rear-Admiral .Sperry stated that it was undertaken mainly for the purpose of improving the lieet by keeping it at sea for a longer time than ever before, and exercising it In every way. By this means, he explained, the men acquire sea habits and become more familiar v with the sea and navigation all round than by staying in a harbor and merely practising from a base. The Engineering Department has especially had ft splendid opportunity for improvement by way of exercise and manoeuvres. This has certainly resulted in a great improvement in the work, and also ill allowing the men to become thoroughly familiar with the active side of the work. Again, a method has been diicovered by which a great saving in coal has been effected, and consequently the vessels are enabled to'steam in a much greater radius. "Formerly," he said, "a trip to Auckland from Honolulu would have been almost beyond the capacity of most shi|is. Now we can steam to Sydney without further coaling if necessary, ami the radius of the fleet is about 500 miles. The results in the working have been splendid, speaking from the effect on the sliips, and on a comparative. basis in tactical manoeuvres, and in all other work of this kind there has been a great improvement. It must bo remembered, of course, that it is the first time in history that a fleet of six--1 teen battleships has been daily exercised ' under conditions approaching those of actual warfare. There has been capital gun practice, and the general improvement I have mentioned covers this '' branch of the work."

FEEDING THE MEN. WHAT THE SUPPLY SHIPS CAKRY. "Wo carry 2100 tons of provisions for the men on the fleet," said one of th<) officers of the supply ship Culgoa to an Auckland Herald representative, "and tho other supply ship, the Glacier, is more heavily stocked than we are, being 8000 tons to our 0000. We carry practically all the fleet requires in Uta way, of eatables. One of our holds ,i> pretty well full of flouv, and the other of meat. There are 535,001bs St flour, 520,001bs of fresh meats, 300,0001bs of fresh vegetables, and there arc tinned vegetables, meats, fruits, condensed milk, and other , similar items, in addition to 100,0001ba of sugar. Together we can provision the fleet for about five months, but some 250 or 275 tons of freeli meats will be loaded at Brisbane. * "More as an experiment than anything else," continued the officer, "wo are carrying quite a stock of dehydrated vegetables—that -is, vegetables from which water has been taken. This, proves a great saving of .space, ancJ moreover the vegetables do not spoil for all that. They are just M good as the real article. The test wu made of dehydrated vegetables between San Francisco and New Zealand has proved most successful. Then we have eggs end milk, prepared in a similar way, and reduced to a powder. This experiment also has proved very successful. We oarry out own butter, canned, an 3 kept at a tempera tun® of about 45 degrees. Engineering stores are also kept on hoard. Sometimes tho battleships takes these stores direct from us, but usually the goods arc put straight on to the repair ships with the fleet." In addition to the provisions brought on. the store ships, a considerable quantity of provisions will be bought in Auckland.