DEPARTURE OF THE AMERICAN FLEET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9168, 17 August 1908, Page 5

DEPARTURE OF THE AMERICAN FLEET.

AN EXCITING INCIDENT. REVOLVERS DRAWN. BY TELEGRAPH—FKERS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, August 15. - The American battleship fleet lifted anchor at 8.15 o'clock this morning. Followed by a number of excursion steamers, crowded, while the shore and hills around the port were t'.iickly lifted with spectators, the battleships stenmedslowly down the channel in one long line. The morning was fine, but the weather is now threatening. All leave was up at last night, and towards midnight the patrol was busy getting stragglers aboard. Their treatment of one drunken sailor was resented by a crowd. As the inan fell down unconscious the spectators assumed a decided hostile attitude, hooting and bustling the patrol. The officer in charge ordered the natrol to draw their revovlers, and affairs were looking very serious when a large party of local police arrived on the scene, , drove the crowd back, and escorted the patrol and their prisoner to the wharf. DESERTIONS FROM TH3 WARSHIPS. AUCKLAND, August 16. Already the Inspector of t'olice hj; s in charge two o,eserters from the battleships, and has been requested by the Consul-Genera I (Mr W. Prickett) to hold them until a guard from the Auxiliary Yankton • (which is still in Auckland) can come ashore to take them on board. The men will then be taken to Sydney, where they will again be placed on their respective vessels.

During the week about twelve desertions have be- n reported to the Consul General,but many of these may have returned to the r Mi s, as the cases were reported daily.

ADMIRAL FINAL

MESSAGE.

AUCKLAND, August 15

Admiral Sperrv's final message to the Dominion, through the Go\erncr, is as follows:—On me eve of the departure of the Atlantic Fleet frcm Auckland, the Commarider-in-Cbifcf desires on behalf of the Government, officers and men, to express to you, and through you, to the people of New Zealand the hearty thanks for the cordial reception and generous hospitality accorded to the Fleet by the Government and people of the Dominion. The friendship and esteem existing between the British Empire and the United States cannot fail to be strengthened by a visit of this nature, which will bring on both nations the ieali?ation of their close relationship and common interests and foster sympathy and mutual understanding more becoming thtn treaties."