THE FLEET'S VISIT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 201, 14 August 1908, Page 2

THE FLEET'S VISIT

FETED AT ROTORUA'. : .KLAISOUATK .MAORI WKU'OME. By Telegraph.—J'rcss Association. Jiiilm-iiii, Last Night. Ihc veiling American iiiivul oiliecrs Spell til pU'HSillll (lay lit Kololll.l, visiting tlk' principal thermal wonders in the immediate viciaiiy. They were accorded an elaborate Maori welcome, wellexecuted songs and dunce* being given in the Sanatorium grounds. '.l'lie .Maoris gave many valuable presents to the guests. Tliu new bath-house was then formally opened by the Prime Minister. In the afternoon the visitors proceeded in strength to Whakarewarewt. where n native meeting-house was opened by the leading chiefs with aneient formalities. ".Maggie," "JSella," and other guides conducted the visitors around the pools, I'ninanilcs, boiling springs, and other thermal wonders. The Wairoa geyser was soaped, and responded niagnificently. Mauri oiitertaiiuueiits were given in the evening. RIFLK SilOOTlNli MATCH.

Auckland, Last Night. A leant of Auckland volunteers defeated representatives of the rifle-shots of the American fleet at Penro.se to-dav by 05 points. The conditions were 25 men a-side, with seven shots at 200. 500, and 000 yards. Auckland got 2311 points and the visitors 2240. The highest scores of the day were put on by Midshipmen Jones and Stewart, of the visitors, who got 102 and 100 respectively. Tho home team's best score was 1)9. WARSHIPS KAIL TOMORROW. Auckland, Last Night. The fleet will leave the waters ol the Waitemata at 8 a.m. on Saturday. The speed on the voyage to Sydney has been fixed for. 10 kuots per hour, and the warships anchor iu the Australian harbor oa Thursday morning at 11,30 a.m. 11.M.5. Powerful left for Sydney thi? morning. The supply steamer Culgoa sails for Brisibaiio to-morrow morning to load a cargo of fresh meat for the lleet. The vessel arrives at Urisbane on th? lath inst., and re-joins the lleet at Sydney a few days later.

Som'i 30 oiliccrs from the American fleet loft for Motutapu to-day for a day's sport doer-stalking on the island. The party returned this evening with Saveral good antlers as tropiliies of the visit. THE SYDNEY RECEPTION. DECORATION'S WELL FORWARD. (By Cable,—Press Association.—Copy right.) Received 14, 0.40 ami. Sydney, August 13. Preparations in connection with the forthcoming visit of the American licet are progressing satisfactorily. The decoration of the streets is well forward. IMPRESSING THE WORLD, LONDON TIMES' VIEWS. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) London, August 12. The Times says the American fleet lias impressed the world and gratified Americans. Its great circumnavigation is the best test of its eHicioiicy. Tile Times comments on the large proportion of ollicers of the old school who dearly love obsolete drills. * AMERICA AND JAPAN. /-.. ' «■»«' Bjß Xelegraflli.— Press Association. Auckland, Thursday. A story published yesterday by 'tire Star regarding the concentration of the Anicrk-an warships at Manila being signilieuntly coincident with the datv= upon which the Japanese immigration iroaty is to he signed appears to bo credited by a largo number of men of the American licet.

TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME. Morning,— Aquatic sports (weather permitting). Trophies provided. (1) Race best-and beat cutters, ship v. ship; (2) Starboard watciii v. starboard watch; (3) port watch v. port watch; (4) winning port v, winning starboard; (o) sailing race, ship v. ship', ollicers at tiller. 2to o p.m., general sports at Domain. Lacrosse, Australian football, hockey gymnastic display by Professor 1 otter's pupils, Rugby and Association football. « p.m., Jjrjtish Medical Association entertain surgeons of licet at Northern Club. SHOPPING SCENES. THOUSANDS OF POSTCARDS BOUGHT.

DKMAND FOR MAORI CURIOS. The American sailors who were ashore on Tuesday largely occupied tueir time in purchasing mementoes of their visit to Auckland (savs tthe Herald). There was a wide diversity of taste evinced in the articles sought after, but by far the greater proportion 01 them could be classified under the general heading of souvenirs. The various postcard shops were inundated all day long, and until well into the evening Jackie displaying a particular penchant lor itieso pictorial ref cords to send home to ibis friends: The largest demand was for the scenic post- ■ card, views of various parts of the Doniinioir, and of Auckland ana the thermal regions i n particular, selling like the proverbial "hot-cakes." As showing tire, really enormous trade done in tnese, postcards a member of the Post Office staff stales that at the Cleneral Post Oihce they were busy (handling them and. stamping them ail clay long. So much so that by one o'clock l°e estimated that at least 11,000 cards were ready to be despatched. Taking every-' thing into consideration fully 50,000 postcards were, bought on Tuesday alone. Jn addition, the sets given away to the men of the licet at the Government Tourist Bureau in Quay street totalled thousands, and at any time during tlha day the sailors of the Stars and Strtpcfi- could there be seen directing these missives to numerous' lriends and relatives across the Pacitic. It will readily lie realised, therefore, what a hug-o advertisement for the Dominion these popular postcards will form during the stay of Ute licet.

The American visitors also purchased lingo quantities of postage stamps. Their selection of types varied a good deal, but tihe >/A and Id variety seem lo have found most favor. The men of the licet expressed surprise at the cheapness of the %i stamp. Sonic of the Sailors bought entire sets, outers merely tailing for so many stamps ot such and such a rate.

The jewellers were distinct gainers by the invasion of the naval travellers. l''or the 'most part their choice rested upon Maori eurios, eSpeeial delight being taken in the greenstone brooches »nd pendants.

JACK'S OPINION 01.' AUCKLAND. Auckland is already becoming used to lie thronged with ■bluejackets, and the citizens have taken u strong liking to "loir temporary visitors. Wherever one goes in Queen street one 'Sees groups of "the lads in .blue" with newfound civilian friends. And tile men of both squadrons have fraternised irecly. You sec tlhem linked together arm-in-arm-the volatile I'unkcc "sailor and his moiv stolid British confrere Uots the American Jaek like Auckland? "Kather," said one, when the question was : put to him; "it's a great place. See here now, it's real great. .And the people; ain't Uiey just kind to us. It's a real nice place—one of. the best we've seen." "What struck you most'" "The size of it,' emphatically replied Jack. "Look licre, mister, we folks, had no idea how big it was. Wo reckoned it was .only a little island—wiry it's only a little island on the map, but its a big place when you get here. And we're telling them at homo about you all. They'll know more about you' in the States when they get the mail than they ever did before. We are sending them picture postcards—tons and tons of them. Your country will be better advertised m the U-nitcd States than all (he (ioverninent bew-roos could do. Look- here"--he exhibited a huge parcel of pictorial postcards—"these are going to the Slates, and I'm only one. I reckon there will .be New Zealand pictures in every town, village, nnd sooburb of the States after the next mail gets in."

"TICKLED TO DEATH." "A source of innocent merriment"' (as W. S. Gilbert puts it)._ to scores of:

they consisted of long threads obtained I I rum tlie fronds of niknu palms. • To observe the divers ed'ccts upon Hitickled was a »tudy in Jiuiuun nature, luuug girls, on feeling the sensation down their necks, uttered giggling shrieks, mid ran away—to .pioeure .ticklers for themselves. An eider:y gentleman, proceeding wiili dignified mien down t„ (lie post olliee, business wires occupying his attention (including licet festivities) thought, apparent] ,<, Unit a btno-ibotllc hau lodged inside Ins eullarbiind when someone tickled jiim there. At any i'ute, his hand aswiidud and .mis brought down again with a resounding smack in the region where the nikau thread had been. M«xt moment

the teaser settled upon his nose, aind the elderly gentleman's dander rose. Turning upon the youths who were at tlie botto m of the matter, he assailed them in good homely language. .The fatherly advice he gave tiiem met the fate of the famous pearls cast before swine. The young men laughed. When it came to tickling j, policeman the adventurous boy who undertook the . iwit, fortunately for himself, proved to be an athlete. The offended constable, lirst scratching his cheek to remove the irritation, turned smartly round, but his tormentor dived between his legs and was gone. Once a girl tickled un American Jack Tar. He just grinned appreciatively. "Say," he pleaded invitingly, "you can do that again, miss, thanks. it just tickled ine to death.' And as a matter of fact most of tiu tickled populace took it that way. " THE LITTLE HALF-DOLLARS." Jack is greatly bothered about English coinage. He cannot reckon it up into his native dollars and cents. "Bee here," said one, spreading on the shop counter a pile of coins ranging from pennies to sovereigns, "I can't get the hang oi Wuat's those, anyway?" He picked out a half-crown piece. It's value -was explained to him, "But it's a half-dollar piece," lhc persisted; "Our half-dollar as we call it," waS the rejply, "not your ilinlf-dollar." "Then,'!' he continued, with a puzzled air, "where docs this, come in?" "This" was a two-slhilling piece. He' was given to understand' that it was the equivalent in Auckland to an American half-dollar i immensely pleased with the informa- » tion, he 'turned to his mates: "iljow chaps, "you'll know the lilt!., half-do]'- » lar again—the big one i, 12 «.,,«* more."

"1 was tickled to doulli when I went into a shop to-day,' said another, "and 1 lafled, and latlvd, and laired. The girl selling me 'notions' Said 'U (Id please.' 'llok?' says I. 7s lid,' Hie says. 'Make it dollars,' i says, 'and I'il pay now.' Well,- slip-tried to cal'klnte dollars, and I tried to eal klate the coin of l his country when she gave, in; change of ~ fovereigu, as she called it Hut il weren't no good. I don't understand a bit. The thing that gets me into a knot, moat is the.blessed .big cupper pieces—Mivy ain't cents, and thev am't dimes—l don't know'where they come in. Then there's a little copper worth half of the big copper. My, but it's a queer coinage."

IiENKRAL ITEMS. Have they Irishmen in- the American licet? On Tuesday a sailor was knocked aside by a lorry. He brushed his clothes carefully, and said, "If I'd been killed, I'd have engaged % test lawyer in town, and sued for conipcnßation'l" It takes some time after a sea voyage to get your shore-legs. This applies to sailors as well as to other people. It possibly accounted for the uxperionce of an American inan-o'-warsman the other day. He was having his boots blacked and his hody swayed for all the world as- though hu were at sea. 'Tile bootblack was putting the finishing touches to a llrst-clasg polish when the nautical man lurched forward and fell on top of him. There was a shout of delight from the onlookers as two pairs of feet pointed skyward and brushes, blacking, and ,box were sent hurtling into the gutter. "Hurt yourself!" asked the man who went to Jackie's rescue. "Guess not," said the sailor. "Must ha' ibecn one of your Noo Zealand earthquakes hit me. Durncd sudden tilings, ain't they}" Then he picked up the shoeblack, and taking him to his bosom, marched torn off to where some creature-comfort might be obtainfd. ' .

Some of the guests at the State banquet on Monday evening made the accidental discovery that there was present that uveniug a direct descendant of the famous Irish patriot, Robert Eumieti, whe was executed in Thomas street, Dublin, in 1803, in the person of Ensign Robert Emmet, of the U.S.S. Connecticut. Immediately on the fact being made known he was warmly welcomed by the Irishmen present, amongst whom were a Cabinet Minister and members of Parliament. It is perhaps necessary to recall the circumstance that Robert Emmet never married, but his 'brother, Tho 3 . Addis Emmet, who was also under .the ban of the British Government, having a price placed on his head, escaped to New York, where he founded a family. It is of his family! that Ensign Robert Emmet is 11 member. He is only a recent addition to the officers of the Connecticut, having passed his examination at West Point just prior to the sailing of the fleet, from Frisco. He crossed the continent and joined at the California capital. All parts of New. Zealand arc well represented .in the great gathering of people now assembled in Auckland. Wellington, Christclmrch and Dundin each sent a good contingent. "I have shaken hands with no fewer than 20 Dnnedin people in my 'hotel since arriving in Auckland," said Sir Joseph Ward in conversation with a Herald representative on Monday evening. "The national aspect of the event is well reflected in the representative nature of those assembled to do it honor." The report that thousands of men deserted the ships of the American fleot at San Francisco is given an unqualified denial on board ttoe various ships. "Why," said one officer, "not more than 56 absconded, and any report to the contrary is an absolute fabrication." "What!" said a sailor on being broached on the subject "desert! not much! You see we arc getting one of the finest trips around the world, and are being paid for it." An officer of the fleet, talking to a ProSs reporter, told of an incident at a bull-light in Lima. A picador struck one of the bulls with two darts,' which, as the darts went home, unfurled the stars and stripes. The American sailors were not very keen on the Spanish sport, and this 'incident was 'greeted with a deadly sil'eiic*. In a few moments one of the darts came out, the Hag fell in the dust, and tihe bull stepped on it. That was onough for one bluejacket, like n flash' 1 he vaulted over the barricade into the arena. It was against nil the rules of tho game, but lie was not Jjoing to have the American Hag trampled on by any Peruvian hull, and 'he rescued it amid'Uio cheers of thousands of his brother bluejackets. Even the officers joined in the cheerrag-