New-York tribune., 1908-07-20
READY FOR FLEET
RIVALRY IN WELCOME.
auckland, Sydney and Melbourne II
Entertain on Grand Scale.

IN bveone wears on the wide and lonely ocean
the South Pacific. which will be reao'y reVseo ~
the general mind by the cruise 10 ene ah'ipou
OF the American battleship fleet There nave neen
events which ought yet to thrill the American
heart. Commodore Porter's neteoric cruise on the
frirate Essex during the Wa Of 1sl2' the daring
and seamanship of New England wnaisls "iie
whaling was a great business: the lucrative Voy-
ages TO Melbourne with Yankee notions ourihs
the Australian gold fever; the strains OF the Aneri
can national air from the helpless hopeless Tren-
toms deck and the cheers OF her crew while tne
British warship Calliope fought her way men py
inch from Apia harbor in the great HURRICANE
fury nineteen years ago The American nag ana
American ships growing fewer ana fe"er ii'
the Southern ocean, but something OK 'ne o
nautical prestige remains. and this decadent re
nown the big men-of-war VIII doubtless reaiiini"
The fleet will practically follow the regular mail
route from Honolulu to Sydney. the ocean pain
which the vessels of the Oceanic Steamship COM
pany of San Francisco followed before the WIKI
drawal of that line from the Austra1asiap trade
about a year ago because OF insuffcient SUBSIDY
But Pago Pago the charmingly secure nafoor anu
coaling station I'm the Samoan group, WHICH IL -
popularity said in Australia owes Its American
ownership particularly to the statecraft OF Jollii
psv during the negotiations which ended In the
division OF the archipelago between Germany ana
the United States in 1899. will not be touched at
by the battIeships. but only by some OF tne meet
auxaries From Honolulu to Auckland, New
waters which not even these prosiac modern Gays
have robbed OF romance. waters which stevenson
illumined with his master hand IN stories OF SNIP
wrecks beach combing, escaping new Caieoonian
convicts and the like.
From Honolulu to Auckland the distance is 1888
miles, from Auckland to Sydney, n s. W. across
the Tasman Sea- the distance is 1,2S1 miles; from
Sydney TO this city. the metropolis OF victoria
through Bass Strait 1t is 5S7 miles. and from Mel
bourne to Albany, West Australia. across the
Great Australian Blight, 1t is 1.3p miles Admirai
Sperry's command is due at Auckland on August
TO- and it is to spend four days with the New
ZeaIanders; it is due at Sydney on August 90 where
1t will stay week. On August 70 1t VIII reach
here, for another weeks sojourn, and on SEPTEMBER
1t will start for Manila, stopping at Albany only
long enough to coal.
ESCORT OF BRITISH SHIPS
On July 10 vice-Admiral Sir Richard Poore, COM
nander chief of the Australian station left sgd
ney for Suva capital OF the Fiji Islands. which lie
close to the route of the Americans. and thence
he will intercept them with two British warships
and officially greet them prior to their reaching
New Zealand The third class cruisers Cambrlan
and Prometheus have been detailed to this duty
and will accompany Admiral Sperrys ships 10
Auckland At Auckland the Americans Will be
furtheT welcomed by the flagship Of the Aus
tralian squadron, the armored cruiser Powerful
AS Suva is one Of the chief stations of the Cana
dan-Australian Gable Line. popularity known as
the "An Red" line. which runs from Sydney to
Vancouver. the Americans. it is understood, pur-
pose experimenting in wireless telegraphy by way
OF Fiji and Honolulu
Auckland on the north island. New Zealand. is
the largest city and the commercial capital of that
dominion Like almost all the antipodean cities, II
is beautifully situated being narrow neck of
land between the Gulf of Hauraki and Manaukau
Harbor. The New Zeaanders have made elaborate
preparations for entertaining the Americans, short
though their stay will be- Auckland will be deco
rated with flags from city in the dominion
and illuminated at night
The Parliament sitting at the capital Wellington,
will adjourn for ten days the members can
share in the festivities. The government has ar
ranged for the enjoyment of 1900 officers and
sailors. including the crews of the three British
warships Six hundred and fifty American and
British officers will be guests at official banquet.
and there will be state ball which will be attended
by upward of 5000 persons. A beautiful casket
will be presented to Admiral Sperry, containing
addresses to himself and President Roosevelt A
conspicuous part Of the entertainment will be the
Jaunt of the American officers to Rotorua, III the
heart of the famous thermal lake region of New
Zealand. There scores of Maoris. New Zealands
big strappng natives. will go through their
rhythmic and graceful dances for the visitors
Rotorua is III miles from Auckland by rail.
At Auckland Admiral sperry will meet Thomas T.
Ewing, Minister of Defence of the Australian COM
monwealth. who will consult with him about the
commonw ealth's reception Of the fleet. Australians
will not let the New Zealanders ,outdo them in the
warmth variety of their welcome of the Ameri-
cans. end Sydney and Melbourne. also oldtime
rivals. will strive to surpass each other as hosts
These two great cities Of the Australian Common
wealth hardly need description. Each has upward
of half a million population and each is wealthy
and modern. Sydney's magnificent harbor, Of
fcally known Port Jackson. is famous the world
over Melbourne, the temporary capital OF the
commonwealth. is at the head of Fort Philip,
land locked harbor like Sydney harbor-
Alfred Deakin. Premier of the commonwealth;
members of the Cabinet and representatives of all
parties in the Parliament make up the committee
of arrangements.
ENTERTAINMENT AT SYDNEY.
1t is planned to have the American warships enter
Sydney Heads accompanied by welcoming vessels
at IL o'clock the morning Of August %. Thi.
will Be followed by great aquatic demonstration.
The whole should be fine spectacle. and doubtless
the dark green headlands; with their verTniIion
rooted villas. which overlook the harbor, Will be
thronsed with enthusiastic thousands
The programme at Sydney includes federal and
state reception to Admiral Sperry and his brother
officers big review at Centennial Park in which
Australian troops and British bluejackets and prob
ably American sailors will take part: special ex-
cursons and entertainments the enlisted men of
the visiting fleet federal ball. extensive illumina
ton OF the harbor and athletic meet
The American officers will meet in the person
OF Admiral Sir Harry Rawson, the popular Gov
of New South Wales a fine old sailor who
has had a long and distinguished record BY
special invitation of Lord Northcote the retiring
Governor General of the commonwealth Admiral
Spcrry and his flag officers will stop, while at
Sydney. at Government House, the beautiful resi-
dence of the successive Governor Generals the
other being here.
Here at Melbourne the round Of entertainment
will be as big the one at Sydney. The Amsri-
can feet will enter Port Philip Heads at IL o'clock
on the morning OF August %. and it will be met