THE AMERICAN FLEET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9106, 4 June 1908, Page 5

THE AMERICAN FLEET.

AUSTRALIA'S ENTHUSIASM. A SUGGESTED CAUSE. Received June 3, 9.10 a.m. LONDON, June 2. The "Daily Mail" attributes Australia's enthusiasm regarding the American fleet to a belief that_ it affords a force capable of protecting Australia. The "Daily Mail" reminds Australia that it will be impossible for the navy to be strong at all points unless it receives greater support; from the States of the Empire.

The New York correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times" writes as follows in connection with the cruise of the American Fleet:—The programme for th-> remainder of the great cruise of the American armada has been published. It provides for a return to New York in a round-the-world route, with a stop in Australasia. It is rather embarrassing to the Administration these invitations from our English-speaking cousins. For no sooner had the Australian invitation been accepted than France and Germany began to send out invitations, and so delicate are diplomatic relations in all these troublous years tnat invitations and acceptances of this sort are rather trying thing.-. The ships will not arrive here until the spring of 1909. The journev after leaving American shores will"be leisurely for the most part, including a stop of two weeks at Honolulu and a few days at Samoa. Twelve days will be divided between Melbourne and Sydney. The announcement that the fleet will girdle the globe is attracting intense national interest. U is regarded as an unprecedented performance by a great war fleet. The newspaper specialists on naval affairs say that this voyage, 37,000 miles all told, is certain to place the American navy on a high level in the world's opinion, and that it is likely to add to the spirit-de-corps for which its personnel has long been famous. The composition of this fleet—our North Atlantic squadron-—may interest you. It consists of 16 battleships ltd by the flagship Connnecticut. To these may be added, when the fleet turns towards the southern waters of Pacific, the Nebraska and the Wisconsin, now stationed on the Pacific coast. In addition to the battleships the fleet comprises six torpedo destroyers, two supply ships, one repair ship, two tenders, and eight colliers, thirty-five vessels in ail, as it sailed from Hampton Roads, Virginia, on December 16th last. One of our ablest naval experts has estimated the fighting power of a modern battleship as equal to 100,000 infantrymen —and who ever heard of 100,000 infantrymen who could advance at the rate,of 240 miles a day? At that ho estimates the moving of the fiest around the world as equal to the globe-girdling of 2,000,000 trained soldiers in a little more than a twelve mon*.h. For the first leg of the voyage, tlv? trip to Magdalena Bay, the commissary of the navy was kept very busv. Coal was an important commodity, and 250,000 tons were bought for the sail around the Horn. Food statistics are hardly less interesting. In the storerooms of the ships went 1,200,0001b of flcur for the 14,000 hungry tars, 1,000,0001b of fresh beef, 800,0001b of notatoes—but why weary you with statistics?—let me close these food figures with two la3t item?, 15,0001b of tea and '40,000 dozen of eggs, for instance, ant) you will have a fair idea that it costs a b'.g nation something to send a show fleet on a cruise around the world.