THE GREAT WHITE ARMADA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 207, 21 August 1908, Page 3

THE GREAT WHITE ARMADA

EXCITEMKNX IX SIDNEY. Sydney, August 20. cold Weather " fiac a,ld but CLty U a|i r ni!|l,r -!"? P o "™* "' to liirhf fh , ' d SUICU djav* wait and liaruor ''^rjvory possible means of transit i 3 pressed in to service and all toe conveyances are densely crowded. " . c Some people in an «xces s of enthusiasm camped out all night „n thehta rock coast. The hills for miles f/ 0 m Botany Bay to the Heads afford a magnificent paooraauaic view of t/jc, approaching Ueet. ' r,ff h iL fleet ?. c '^ ,e<:ted to he signalled off Botany Bay at !) o'clock, and to enter the harbor at 11.30. *'r°m present indications it appears afloat anrf' 0 !! ?"* "1"° ** *P«Utow afloat and ashore along the route will number soma hundreds of thousands. Shipping ia the harbor is railv v havc^i aititr and tiie H

ADMIRAL SPEKKrs MESSAGE. . . . , „ Sydney, August 20. foHowin I ! erTy sent b y wirdess the following reply to Lord Northcote:IMta,. 0f t!le Gove ™ment of the United States aad the fleet, I tlliank you most heartily, a?d tbri.igh you vm> Pe ° P -° f tbe Commonwealth, for your gracious message of welcome to * h ® ff fleet . the officers and men of which are looking forward with most pieasureable anticipation is a better acquaintance wit/h their kins- I inea of this great member of the British empire,"

SIGHTING OF THE FLEET. Atf IMPOSING SPECTACLE. INTRICATE MANOEUVKES. i- , Sydney, August M. - j lights of the fleet were first sighted shortly after live o clock, men darkness and a mist obscured them t !S y Were not "S B ' ll observed unral a.m., and Hen only a short glimpse, heading seawards. The watchers on the cliffs had another two hours' waie. At the end of that time, one by one the great ghostlike white masses shouldered their way out of the mist, and oecame plaih'v visible. They approached the coast in single line, and presented an imposing spectacle. Running closer in-shore, the line broke into sections of tour, slackened speed, and as slowly ran down the coast towards the heads, periorning a Series of intricate and interesting manoeuvres.

A large fleet of crowded steamers which went out eariy .to meet the squadron, fell in behind.

The Heads and lliifs everyTv-iere Were alive with sightseers, and enormous crowds oongngated on Uhe North and South Heads to watdh the entrance. ""

ENTERING THE HEADS. SLOPES OF HARBOR BLACK WITH HUMANITY. ! THE WEATHER GLORIOUS. Received 20, 3.30 p.m. Sydney, August 20. An hour was spent by the fleet in. manoeuvring off the lighthouse till the fog cleared away, wihea the sight revealed was magnificent. At 11.30 the fleet stood Out to sea Again, formed in line, and entered the heads in single file, the flagship leading the flotilla into thu harbor. The slopes of the harbor were black With humanity. Crafts of all description Were moored outside the fair-way 3 all traffic being stopped during the entrance.

As each vessel passed, moving majestically to its anchorage, it was greeted with an outburst of cheering, excitement running high. The fleet made its bow to Australia ■bj a salute of 21 guns, fired by OA Connecticut, to which Fort Deaison replied.

During a long wait, She spectators around the harbor were entertained to a deplay of daylight fireworks in the Shape of bombs which, exploding, displayed Union Jacks, birds, and beasts.

Numerous tram accidents have been reported as the result of the enormous crush during the morning, 'but mostly flight. The weather 1? glorious, and the •treets almost deserted. • A MAGNIFICENT PAGEANT. 400,000 VIEW THE SPECTACLE. NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS.

Received 20, 8 p.m. 1 (Sydney, August 20. As the Connecticut passed Bradley's Head, she saluted the port, Fort DeniSon responding. Without fuss, each vessel steamed to its anchorage, add dropped anchor. By one o'clock all were moored.

Admiral Sperry was greatly impressed with the enthusiasm Of the reception. At 3 o'clock Admiral Sperry landed amid the booming of guns, the Naval Brigade forming a guard of honor. He called on Lord a little later, and Lord Northcote and Sir Harry Rawson returned the call, ffhat concluded the official business for the day. Xt is difficult to estimate the number Who witnessed the magnificent pageant, but it is believed that fully 400,000 viewed the spectacle. Accidents were numerous. There ■were many serious tram accidents, tsea-sick passengers fell overboard' at the Heads, but were rescued. A mair fell from the roof of a tram and was killed. About 50 persons are being treated in the hospitals for injuries.

A HEAVY FOG. LIFTS LIKE A CURTAIN. TREMENDOUS K.NIHUSIASM. Received 20, 7.15 p.m.

Sydney, August 20. The morning broke clear,' but before 8 o'clock heavy smoke and fog obscured the coastline, and prospects of viewing She fleet appeared remote, and there was a feeling of disappointment that the visitors' welcome would take place on a grey morning. Even at 10 o'clock little improvement had taken place. At 11, as if the whole thing had been pre-arranged, the mist lifted like a curtain, and revealed the white fleet, gleaming in the sunlight, standing towards the Heads. Alon'g the frowning coastline, north and south of the harbor opening, silhouetted against the skyline, was a Berried rampart of humanity. As the Connecticut entered close up to the North Head, mighty cheering commenced on the South Head, "wlucii was taken up by crowds on the North and Middle Heads. With the shrieking of tile sirens and whistles of tine flotilla of steamers, fringing the fanway, the noise was deafening. .The fleet entered in single line, each vessel moving swiftly round the Southern Head into the eastern channel, and gliding up the harbor at evenly spaced distances to t'heir various berths. At every point along the liarboi course huge crowds cheered the vessels as they passed them. The traffic was quite unable to cope With So huge a multitude converging on the Heads, and many thousands walked tie whole distance. The stream of traffic set in before daylight was properly established, and maintained an unbroken rush till 11 o clock. li\ - ll! ' hour practically the whole population of Svdney and suburbs, with the influx from other States, Were entrenched on every available observation point on the coast and harbor frontages. On the harbor itself, the scene was i"<>--animated. Along the fairway, *im;< was kept clear for the Incoming fleet, everything that could float in the vaj of a boat was moored with its livingfreight, and through this aveim-- »t craft the fleet moved up niajestuall . (ailing into their allotted places with clockwork-like precision.

TUB CITY JiY NHiHT. BRILLIANT IMA'-MINA'T^N*. ltm-ivd 20, 9.45 p.m. Sydney, August 2rt. Th<! city t"T)iirl't is lirilliantlv illuminated. and with lmth American mid English vowla gloirtaji with myriads ■ of; lamps presents a wonderfully bn:ui- - . tifjtf Bcefle. Although the city iliumg~ lontiODß do aot rea«Ji m extent tie ef-

CABLE NEWS (■By Cable.— .tress Association.—Copy* right.)

Mrne tUe well'done. * doaß *«■ i a I tlnt l n? t „ i,l1 l ]l)USing llecorati ve effect is tluit ot a n immen's Statue of L'(l» patter Berujolde, i„ fro,t of tt Italy lelegraph. A bronze statue lisc* f loin tile pavement to a 'heiwfit oi with hi \ Cet ' eltlle, '° Jl "'"l lack I American flag and the Union; Town hn • W ! tl1 (:k ' ttri<i "S" 4B - '^ e Town Hall , s beautiful i a simplicity, the architectural outlines of the strutI iwit.tL electric lamp, Ti P resffi,ts il "> ost '"J, enect, the huge building being one sjarkling mass of lignts. ihe Customs

House is surmounted with the Mavlower and the inscription, "To our kinsmen of the .Mayuowur," while at Admiralty House, & ino W 5? f ni «"ean coat-of-arms in heroic ■ .0, and delineated in colored lamps, cabts Its radiance across the bay. Martin Place, o;i which the Post Ofhce stands, is beautifully festooned with ■streamers in art shades suspended trom the Cormt.ninn pillars, purmounted by the American Eagle. Alon" i Mncquarie street, festoons of greenery cross and re-cross the street, converting I

it into a long archway of greon. At the entrance to the archwav stands two massive pillars. Tliat on the right is Surmounted'by a golden eagle, and on shaft of the column is inscribed in gold the names of the American vessels, The column on the left gears a gold lion, while the inscriptions display the names of all tike admirals who havei held command on the Australian Station.

All public buildings are gorgeously illuminated, bearing devices of a suitaJble character. The streets are crowded with sight-seers, bands playing American and English airs at various points.

Few of the fleet are ashore to-night, as the real entertainment does not commence till to-morrow. A FATAL FALL. GOVERNOR'S BANQUET. Received 21, 0.50 a.m. Sydney, Last Night. [ One man fell over the cliff at South Head and was killed. •The Governor-General entertained at ; dinner the Admirals of the American ' fleet, Admiral Poore, Mr. Deakin, Federal Ministers, State Ministry, Privy ' Councillors, and Victorian and Queensland Ministers. It was a brilliant function. L H.M.S. Glacier arrived to-night.