New-York tribune., 1908-05-19
AUSTRALIA AND THE FLEET.

Nowhere on all its globe encircling Journey
completed or prospective, has our peaceful war
fleet received a more cordial, earnest and, we
might say, urgent invitation to be the guest of
a foreign people than in Australia. Properly
should say Invitations, in the plural for
our antipodeal cousins would not be content
with a visit TO, Just one Of the ports of their
isolated continent. They would like to have
our fleet sail clear around. from Cape Otway
TO Cap York, from the Great Barrier Reef to
the Abrolhos, stopping at every harbor on the
way, and while that is manifestly impossible
it has been agreed that the ships shall visit
both Sydney and Melbourne, and shall spend
between two and three weeks in Australian
waters. Already, though that visit is still three
months away, the Prime Minister of the Com
monwealth, the Prime Ministers of at least the
two states of Victoria and New South Wales
and committees of both houses of Parliament
are busy with preparations for Ella borate cere-
monials of greeting and entertainment which
shall surpass anything yet seen beneath
the Southern Cross
1t would be ungraclous and unrea sonable to
question the entire sincerity Of the Australian
desire to and to do honor TO the American
feet, to look for any ulterior motive for
the invitation given. Simple curiosity might Of
course explain it. 4 people peculiarly interested
in the sea might well desire to look upon such
a naval spectacle as never yet has been wit
messed in those waters. They are not as much
accustomed as the people of America and
Europe 10 the sight of great fleets. and here
is fleet which would be an unusual and note
worthy spectacle anywhere Stronger than
that, however, is doubtless the interest which
is felt in the fleet because of its ma tionality
1t Is nearly fifty years since Tatnall quoted
with such effect the old saying Blood Is
thicker than water and the half century has
not effaced the sentiment from minds on either
side. We may be sure that excepting only
the fleets of the Red, White and Blue there
are no ships i'll the world more welcome to
Australian eyes than those which sail under the
Stars and Stripes.
There are. however two other motives, not
unworthy nor unnatural which we must sup
pose to be potent in the case One is suc-
gested by the remembrance that the British
navy has so reduced its strength in the Pacific
as no longer to have its oldtime predominant nee
there. 1t would scarcely be unfair to say that
it has voluntarily abdicated its supremacy I'm
the Pacific in favor of its ally Nor can there
be offence In recalling that the japanese ALI
ance is not regarded with enthusiastic favor
in Australia, or in suspecting that the states
men and people OF the Commonwealth who
are so earnestly intent upon making and
keeping it-in their own familiar phrase
white Australia especially gratified at
the advent i'll Pacific waters of American
feet somewhat more powerful than any under
the flag Of the Rising Sun, That Is TO be said
without the least thought Of anything like a
probability of n clash between the two chief
Pacific powers. 1t is simply recognition OF |
the undisguisable fact that racial feelings are |
strong in Australia and that |
Australians would rather have an Anglo xon |
feet American, If not British, dominant In |
Pacific waters than any other
Finally, it is to be remembered, as we OBJ |
served not long ago, that Australia for some |
purpose is making herself into a great mill |