The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-05
50 Chauccr Street, st. Kilda,

50 Chaucer Street St. Kilda,
 Victoria, Australia Sept, 22, To the Editor lf the Courier;
 Sir; The great white fleet, to whose visit Australia has been looking for ward for the past slX months, has seen such festivities or such crowds of people, The visit of the Prince of Wales in 1901 was almost as nothing compared with 1t. For the last few days preceding the arrival, the main question with everybody was What will the weather be like?" for on that depended the whole success of the en- trance as a spectacle. The early morning was overcast and showery, People reckoned that tle ships were then somewhere south of Cape schank. Would, it clear before 1 o'clock, when they were due at the Heads? About l0:30 the sun began to show little through the clouds and the mist over the sea lifted. The entry was perfect, There were number of small craft at the Heads, as well as many large steamers, and as the Connecticut came through they one and all set their sirens going and their crews cheering once inside the ships formed double column with the local vessels bringing up the rear for the trip up Hobs on g bay. This occupied about three hours and by the timo they dropped anchor the weather was simply brilliant clear sky, fresh breeze and a bright ripple on the sea. There was an in terchanRe of salutes, and some more tooing while numbers Of people col lected on St. Kllda esplanade to sec Admiral Sperry land He was duo at 2:SO. Twenty past came and no sign of his boat
 1 "Will he be late ?" was heard on several sides, but at the stroke of half-past he was on the pier. His cutter left tho Connecticut at twenty | five past, to the accompaniment of pretty we'll all the sirens in the bay, | and go over the two and half miles | in exactly five minutes, As the admir- ' al's carriage drove slowly along the ! esplanadcs. the cheering was most en- l thusiastic IL seemed quite to over | whelm Admiral Sperry, who hardly ! knew which way 10 turn to acknowl- edge it all. lt was the same all the way up to Parliament house (where ie paid an official call on the governor and back
 Thousands of people came down 10 St Kida, Port Melbourne and Will | llamstown in the evening to see the first illumination. They were well re- paid. for the night was somewhat misty, and this made 1t appear az though there must be a huge light hidden somewhere, throwing soft glow over all the vessels without showing any detail distinctly. The ef- feet was marvelously beautiful, and was added to by the firing of few rockets from the Connecticut az an l acknowledgment 5f big bonfire and fireworks display at Point Armond Sunday was fine, but dusty. A mum Der of men from the ships marched through the city on their way to church, but there was notAing official
 On Monday festivities started In earnest. The day was overcast and most horribly dusty. The chief event was a procession Of sailors and ma rines through town to tho exhibition where they had a good dinner. This was one of the hardshlps of the visit from the mems point of view It wal
 
 a long march full in the face Of the binding dust. In the circumstances lt was not surprising that all were tlret out, and most were footsore Ca gooC part of the march was uphilD. Th' route was crowded with people hours before the procession passed, but bar rirades had been erected on both sides of the streets and these, with the hell of few mounted police, kept the road clear. During the long walt muci amusement was caused by the antics o several dogs one narrowly escaped being run over by train another let with his tall between his legs from q motor-car containing an American ofii. cer and a police officer. One of tn, captains, on turning round after giV. Ing an order to his men, was trippet up by brown mongrel, much 10 the astonishmcnt of both. The cheering was long and loud as the marines came in sight and louder still when tn, sailors appeared Each company stop ped and stood at ease for few min utes in front of the Nicholson street engine house. near the exhibition Someone in the crowd threw A fep oranges which were eagerly caugh and hidden in the blouses of the sail ors. About half an hour after the sall ors had gone. the admrals, capta ms etc, drove in. Admiral Sperry received a tremendous welcome the cheering being taken mp again and again as h' passed The captains waved their hands to everybody and seemed 10 he enjoy Ing themselves thoroughly. Next came the governor and his wife, then the al