Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-29
VISIT OF FLEET
IS GREAT EVENT
MELBOURNE HAS PLANNED A
GRAND WELCOME:
WILL Guido SYDNEY IN MAG
NlFIcENT PROGRAM
Australian Capital to Be Scene OF un-
paralIeled Demonstration-Huge
Sums to Be Spent by
Citizens

BY Associated Press.
MELBOURNE. Saturday, July 20
The approaching visit of the American
fleet to the capital Of the Australian
promises to be the most
memorable military event in the his
tory of Australia.
The welcome to the American officers
and men by the people of Australia
which began at Auckland and was
continued by Sydney, will reach It's
climax here.N
&Tl.e federal, state and municipal
authorities have been busily planning
to receive the fleet for the past lwo
months Many committee meetings
have been held to arrange the details
of the reception.
Private Organizations also are eager
ly cooperating with the authorities to
give the Americans cordial welcome.
The Salvation Army will charter a
steamer and, accompanied by several
of its best brass bands, will proceed TO
the heads at the mouth of the harpor
to welcome the feet on its arrival to-
day.
Interest in the reception has extended
far into the interior of the country. :.
Populations of officers and men VIII
visit the cities of Bailarat, Bendigo ana
North Miraboo, where they will be en-
tertained by the municipal authorities
of those cities.
The public entertainment of the
Americans will be on a more extensive
scale than has ever been known here.
The state government alone expects
to spend about $4,000 in entertain
ments, not to mention the expenses Oh
the federal government and the munlc-
ipality composing Greater Melbourne.
Illuminations will be upon an unusu-
ally splendid SCALE
The words. Australia Welcomes
America" will be blazoned from many
places in colored lights.
One novel feature planned for the
day of the public procession Is the
dressing and grouping of many schoo
girls in such a way as to represent tps
union jack and the American and Aus
tHalian flags.
Big Road Procession
Monday afternoon Admiral Sperry
and staff, with officers, sailors and ma
rines from the feet will march in pro-
cession through st. T<ilda road, one OF
the most picturesque and sumptuous
thoroughfares of the commonwealth
The procession will cross the Princess
bridge, (which is ornamented with. a
statute Of Queen Victoria; over the
Piver Yarra into Melbourne proper
and will then proceed through the chief
business sections to the exhibition
building situated in the Carlton gar
dens in the highest part of the city. =,
Here the admiral and his officers viii
hold a public reception, after which the
governor of the commonwealth VIII en-
terrain them and their men at luncheon
TIE same evening the commonwealth
government will give an official ban
quet to the higher officers, and organ
lied theater parties to the lower ofti-
GERS. sailors and marines.
The nights festivities will close witt
grand torchlight procession, which
Will be participated in by firemen''
brigades from various parts of thu
state.
Tuesday has been proclaimed by thu
government public holiday in homo
of the American fleet On this day al
excursion of 800 American officers anS
men will be taken to Ballarat, the cen
ter of the Victoria gold mining district
and another of 100 to North Mirahoo
The remainder of the week will b.
given to excursions and various enter
| tainments. The feet will leave Mel
bourne Saturday, September 5.