The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-14
AROUND THE WORLD Battleship Fleet to Visit Ha- waii, Australia and
 Samoa. MONTH IN THE PHILIPPINES NetcaIf Announces Future Itinerary Home via Suez-England
 Interested.
MONTH IN THE PHILIPPINES

Washington, March 1S.-Admiral Evans battleship fleet, after leaving San Francisco, will visit Hawai-, Samoa, Melbourne, and Sydney, Australia. the Philippines and return to New York by way of the Suez Canal.
 Secretary Metcalf announced the fu- ture movements of the fleet after the Cabinet meeting to-day. It will leave San Francisco on July 6 flor our Pa cifc possessions" as MT. Metcalf styl- ed it. The vessels will first touch at Hawaii. where they will coal. After that they will go to Samoa, following this up by a visit to Australia. where they will stop at the cities of Mel bourne and Sydney. the invitation of the Australian government to visit that country having been supplemented by an equally cordial one from the British ambassador, Mir. Bryce.
 Leaving Australia the vessels are to go to Manila, and while in the Philip pines the annual fall target practice will be held. Thence the return will be made to the United States by way of the Suez, stopping only at such ports as are necessary for coaling purposes. The date of their return to the States is dependent entirely upon the amount of time required for the target prac- tice in the Philippines.
 The visit of the battleships to Puget Sound will be made some time between the conclusion of the grand review In San Francisco Bay on May and the date of the saiing over the Pacific.
 London, March 13.-The announce ment that the American battleship fleet will return from the Pacific to the At lantic by way of the Suez Canal has created the greatest interest among naval officers here, who are anxious to see the American vessels and observe the effects of the long cruise upon them. The news of the cruise home ward was received too late to-day to get an official opinion, but promi- nent naval officer suggested that the government should send an invitation to the battleships to come to England, or if that should be impossible, for them to make an official call at some British port en route home. There will be opportunity for British officers to show oourtesies to the officers Of the fleet during It's visit 10 Australia, at nth these naturally will be on a small scale as compared with what will be done should the batteships come to Engand or stop at Malta or Gibraltar.
 So much interest will be attached to the passage of the fleet through Aslatic waters and along the northern African shore and southern European shores that pressing invitations un- doubtedly will come to the president from France. Germany and England. It is believed by navy officers here that the fleet will visit all of those countries intead of sailing direct from Gibraltar to New York. The cruise. which to-day's announcement tends to make all the more notable, is more than ever the one topic of conversa- ton here. Some comment is occa- stoned by the fact that no mention Is made of the possibility of a visit of the battleships to Japanese waters. A formal invitation from Japan, 1t Is said, might be complied with during the stay of the fleet In the Philippines or after the completion of the full tar get practice.