THE AMERICAN FLEET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 204, 18 August 1908, Page 2

THE AMERICAN FLEET.

THE DESERTIONS. By iclegraph.—Press Association. ■ Auckland, Last Night. In all 14 eases of desertion from tlhe battleships were reported to the Auckland police Eleven have been account- . • ■ otl,er threc are supposed to bo lying low.? 'J-'llE MKiVB SPENDING. Auckland, Last Night. H has been estimated that the men ' « tie American Ueet alone spent .€2O- . during their stay in Auckland. ' A FINAL, INTER \ lEW. ADAIUIAL All'CH IfIUMtESSED. REFERENCE TO I'llE BRITISH •NAVV. Interviewed by a Herald representative prior to the departure of the fleet ™'n ™'" U fcll ' en ' jr said he Utt(l fclje n oicdtly •impressed witlh the warmth . nd cordiality of the reception given to Iho U<wt in Auckland. b Regarding the trip to itotorua Admiral bperry slated that it had been »ery impressive and very satisfactory on frount of the eharactcristic hospitality and welcome oi me Maoris, but by the evidences on every side of the fertility and prosperous condition of the country. He referred to tilie various industries tiuit hud come under Jn s 'notice-dairying, cattle-rais-ing, sheep-farming, tinnrfr industry, etc. —and expressed much pleasure at noting so much progress in each. . "itotorua is very unusual an(Kcapable of very great development for the beneNt of all people in those southern regions,'' the Admiral added. "The new bath-house bears evidence that Itotorua must 'have a good many visitors, for it is designed to accommodate such a large number of people. The baths and appliances for curative treatment there ; have been remarkably well considered, and I may say that I think the bath- , house is modern and up-to-date in all its appointments." i Admiral fcporry closed bv referring hi graceful terms to the navy of Great Britain, and quoted again Hi-! own remarks upon the occasion when he toasted the liayy ia question, as follows:—"To that service from which we derive our laws, customs, and traditions, and whose noble deeds in defence , of its country are the inspiration oT all * sailors—the British navv."

A HUGE Am KnmiSJIJiXT. Tdili .DOMINION'S RESOURCES. OAK ASI'JSCT OF i'U'.lvr WJSJSK. '•Reckon you people will have ; )md just about the tallest kind of advertisement over this licet of ours that your country has ever had,'' said un American ollieer to a Herald representative. "Advertising," he continued, "is a line art in the United States, and oyurybody there knows what it means. I'ou.mightn't Us thinning much about it right now, but later on you'll know that. I'm right. The American s are right. The Americans are great readers of the world's news, and the accounts of your reception and your city and your country sent home by the 'correspondents with our battleships will just be read from beginning to end, and if you don't get a few shiploads of tourists here front our country, well, i$ will be just the biggest time-lock kind of mystery to me." Asked if he thought the visit of the tleet would have any effect on commercial relationship, the officer said: "V'ou can bet your bottom dollar it will. It will be brought home to the Government of America what -an important future is before a country like this, which has such enormous resources for all its small body, and the Government of America will say to itself that . it will have to get right there with a subsidised licet pf mail steamers. Then our commercial agents will begin to loolr through their telescopes at you, and study the map, und take passage for your country. From Panama to Canada tliifte will be more heard about our Dominion this year than ever before, and I guess tllie thermal wonderland, which i have heard so much about already from my brother officers who returned this afternoon, will attract so many pilgrims from the Stales that you will have to erect a signboard, 'American Spoken iliero.' " TUie magnilicent reception we have had is to us the greatest offset' possible to the British-Japanese treaty, which isn't kind of popular in our, country, and, be sure, the American nation had had its llieart warmed towards the people of the British colo : Hies, who seem to recognise that the two great nations, which, after all, are one in birth, should be standing side by sido in world politics. The people of America, as a whole, don't know much about New Zealand, but their educational course will be properly commenced by the fleet's visit. '

"I feel that I'd like to add," lie said, in conclusion, "that every officer with the fleet has been astonished by the high standard of your newspapers, and tho splendid work your journalists accomplish. I have 'heard officers <vn all sides commenting upon it, and the illustrated profs is something we had never dreamed of expecting in a c;ompuratively small community like this." "Though out visit has been a brief one, and though we liave only seen a small portion of your country," said anoOher officer, "we assure you that we shall advertise it as much.as possible in the States. before, what was known of you was only through ■book knowledge, you will now have 15,000 people who will he able to speak from personal acquaintance throughout the land. As far as wo are concerned, we only regret ttat this is the only acknowledgement we can make of the unbounded hospitality which we have enjoyed down here."