Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-20
CORDIAL WELCOME
Will 30 Given Fleet on Its Arrival In
Australia.

Melbourne. Australia. July 20.-The
Stars and Stripes have witnessed
sights and achievements in bye-gOne
years on that wide and lonely ocean.
the South Pacific, which will be readily
revived in the general mind by the
cruise to the Antipodes of the Ameri-
can battleship fleet. American ships
arc growing more and more infrequent
in the Southern ocean but something
of the old nautical prestage remains
and this decadent renown the big
men -Of-war will doubtless re-animate.
Admiral Sperry's command is due
at Auckland on Aug. 10 and is to spend
four days with the New Zelanders; it
is due at Sydney Aug 20, where it will
stay week; Aug. 20 it will reach here
for another weeks sojourn and Sept
it will leave for Manila. stopping at
Albany only long enough to coal.
Admiral Sir Ruchard Poore. COM
mander- n-chief of the Australian sta
tior. will leave Sydney for Suva. capt.
tai OF the Giji 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 Yea
land.
The New Bcalanders have made
elaborate preparations for entertain
ing the Americans. Auckland will be
decorated with flags from every city
in the dominion and illuminated at
light. The Parliament sitting at the
capitol. Wellington. will adjourn for
10 day SO the members can participate
in the festivities. Six hundred and fifty
American and British officers will be
the guests at an official banquet and
there will be Il state ball which will be
attended by upwards of 5000 persons
At Auckland Admiral Sperry will
meet Thomas r. Ewing minister of lie
fence of the commonwealth who will
consult with him about the Common
wealths reception of the fleet
Alfred Deakin. premier of the COM
monwealth. members of the federal
cabinet and representatives of all par
ties in the federal Parliament make up
the federal committee of arrangements
The program at Sydney includes a
federal and state reception to Admiral
Sperry his brother officers: a big re-
view at Centennial park in which Aus
tralian troops and British bluejackets
and probably American sailors will
take part: special entertainments for
the enlisted men of the fleet; federal
ball. extensive illumination of the
harbor and an athletic meet BY spe-
cial invitation. Admiral Sperry and his
flag officers will stop. while at Sydney
at Government house. a beautiful resi-
dence of the successive governors gem
eral.
Here at Melbourne the round of en-
tertainment will be as big az the one
at Sydney The American fleet will
be met down the bay by minister's
members of Parliament and leading
citizens. The weeks program will
comprise a dinner to the fleets senior
officers by Governor Carmichael. a
dinner at Parliament house by the
commonwealth and a reception to the
officers by the state government. At
the noted Pennington race course
where $4,000 people are wont to gather
on Melbourne Cup day, special meet
will be held and the card will carry
such events as the Stars and Stripes
handicap. the Roosevelt handicap, ETC.,
in honor of the visitors.
Another sporting event to mark the
week will be the fight between tom
N.Y. Burns. the American heavyweight
and Lang, Australia's best man in the
same class.