Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-28
BIG PLANS FOR FLEET
Melbourne to Excel Other
Ports in Entertaining.
TO BE MEMORABLE EVENT
Interest in Reception Extends Far
Into Interior.
10000 VISITORS EXPECTED
Illumination to Be Upon Unusually
Splendid Scale-Schedule for
Weeks Festivities.
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
MELBOURNE. Wednesday, July 20.
The approaching visit Of the American
fleet to the capital OF the Australian COM
monwealth promises to be the most men,
orable military event in the history Of
Australia. The welcome to the American
officers and sailors by the people Of Aus
tralasia, which begins at Auckland and
which Sydney will continue, will reach
its climax here. The federal, state and
municipal authorities have been busily
planning to receive the fleet for about
two months. Many committee meetings
have been held to arrange the details OF
the reception.
cooperating with the authorities to give
the Americans a cordial welcome. The
Salvation Army will charter a steamer,
and accompanied with several Of its best
brass bands, will proceed to the heads
at the mouth OF the harbor to welcome
the fleet upon it's arrival Saturday, Au-
gust %.
Interest in the reception has extended
far into the interior Of the country. Upon
receiving invitations. which already have
tations Of officers and men will visit the
cities Of Ballarat. Bendigo and North
Mirboo, where they will be entertained
by the municipal authorities OF those
cities.
Problem Of Transportation.
The problem Of transportation during
American week" has engaged the seri-
Gus attention Of the government The
visit of the American fleet comedies with
the annual fair of the Royal Agricultural
~ MIL HI
under the auspices of the Victoria Racing
Club. In view OF the expected conses-
ton Of travel the railway authorities are
having old passenger coaches which have
been put out of use as antiQuated re-
paired for service.
The government has decided to run spe'
cial excursion trains. at unusually low
rates, from all the districts Of the state
to Melbourne from the 18th to the 18th OF
August, and to sell excursion tickets or
the ordinary trains for the rest OF thu
month Several thousand soldiers WIKI ar
rive here from various parts of the coun.
try to take part in the parade, and ,5O(
members of the fire b :igades Of various
cities will come to join In the torchhgh'
procession. Some 1880 cadets from variou.
military schools are to be provided WITH
free transportation to the capital.
The authorities are expecting fully TOOK
visitors in Melbourne during American
week" AS this city and it's suburbs have
population of about 10000. 1t may be
expected that the streets of the city will be
thronged to their fullest capacity. hotels
and boarding houses are preparing to en-
terrain their overflow guests at private
houses.
$4,000 for Entertainment.
The public entertainment of the Ameri-
cans will be on a more extensive scale
than has ever been known here. The
state government alone expects to spend
about $4,000 in entertainments, not to
mention the expenses of the federal gov.
eminent and the municipality composing
Greater Melbourne"
The Examinations will be upon an un-
usually splendid scale. The parliament
house, the general post Office, the various
ministries, the town hall and many other
public buildings will be lavishiy illumi-
mated. The words Australia Welcomes
America will be blazoned from many OF
them in colored electric lights One novel
feature planned for the day Of the public
procession Is the dressing and grouping OF
many school girls in such way as to rep
resent the union Jack and the American
and Australian flags
Upon the arrival of the fleet at Port
Philip Heads about noon August 20 1t
will at once proceed up the bay, where 1t
will be given a marine welcome. all the
craft In the bay signaling it's arrival by
concert Of steam whistles. Admiral
Sperry will Immediately visit the gov
The same evening the governor will give
a dinner to the senior officers of the fleet.
Order Of Weeks Festivities.
Monday the official landing Of Admiral
Sperry and the senior officers will take
place at st. Kilda pier. on the eastern
side Of the harbor. while the other Off
GERS. sailors and marines will land at
Port Melbourne. on the north side. The
American officers will be received upon
landing by the prime minister Of the
commonwealth and his cabinet, the pre-
mier Of Victoria and the members of the
state ministry, and the lord mayor of
Melbourne and the mayors OF st. kilda,
Prahran and South Melbourne will pre-
come.
Monday afternoon Admiral Sperry and
staff. with officers. sailors and marines
from the feet, will march in procession
through st. Kilda road, one of the most
picturesque and sumptuous thoroughfares
Of the commonwealth. 1t Is fianked by
many splendid private residences and a
number of public buildings. including the
governors Official residence.
The procession will cross the Princes
bridge, which is ornamented with q
statue of Queen Victoria, over the River
Yarra. into Melbourne proper. and will
theme proceed through the chief business
section to Exposition building. where are
quartered the Carleton Gardens in the
highest part of the city. Here the ad-
miral and his officers will hold a public
reception, after which the government OF
the commonwealth will entertain them
and their men at luncheon. On the
same evening the commonwealth govern.
ment gives an Official banquet to the
higher officers and organizes theater par
ties of the lower officers. sailors and ma
rines. The nights festivities will close
with a grand torchlight procession. which
will be participated in by firemen's brig
AIDES from various parts of the state.
Tuesday a Public Holiday.
Tuesday has been proclaimed by the
government a public holiday in honor OF
the American feet. On this day an ex-
cursion OF 300 American officers and men
will be made to Ballarat. the center of
the Victoria gold mining district. and an
other of 100 to North MirbOo. They will
return to Melbourne the same evening.
officers and men remaining in the city
shall visit the Royal Agricultural So
ciety's show, where a demonstration of
school children on the exhibition oval
has been arranged in their honor. and a
foot ball match will also be played on
the Melbourne cricket ground.
In the evening the lord mayor OF Mel
bourne gives a reception to the higher
officers CT the feet, and at the same time
the state government entertains some OF
the warrant and nOn-commissioned Of
ficers and men. Others will be welcomed
by the municipality of Phahan at a