The Mena weekly star., 1908-08-27

Sydney. N. s. w, Aug. 22.-Sydney was aglow with life and color Friday and surging thousands filled the streets as never before, for this was the day set for the official landing and for Australia to publicly welcome the bone and sinew of the visiting fleet, officers and men.
 No more triumphal entry of gallant vessels into port was ever witnessed than that of Thursday, when the war. ships pushed through the haze of sea and steamed majestically past the headlands, crowded with a cheering multitude. Friday Australians had an opportunity to see the men who brought the ships in safety thus far on their voyage around the world.
 From Farm Cove, where the land ing occurred, throughout the lengthy line of march, the crowds gave en, thusiastie welcome. Large bodies of men from all the ships were brought ashore in the morning in launches. They numbered close to 5000. In sec tions they marched to the outer do- main, which adjoins the botanical gar dens and formed upon allotted spSces fronting the reception pavilion. Then came the admirals and their staffs, who landed ashore on the east side of the cove, where a guard of honor from the British naval forces was drawn up, They were met by the prime minister, Alfred Deakin, and the other ministers of the commonwealth, the premier of New South Wales and his ministers, the lord mayor of Syd- ney and members of the corporation.
 Rear Admiral Sperry, commander of the fleet, inspected the naval guard and then, with the others, was driven to the reception pavilion in the do main, where he was greeted by Lord Northcote, governor general of Au stralia: Sir Harry Rawson, the gov ernor of New South Wales, and the military and naval heads of the colony.
 The scene was a brilliant and pic turesque one. The grand pavilion was surmounted by great golden eagle. glittering in the sunlight, and the curved balustrades were inscribed with the names of the American states. The stands surrounding the pavilion seemed almost buried with flags, bunt- ing and evergreens.
 After greetings had been ex- changed a procession was formed, the lord mayor and officials and the Amer ing carriages. Twenty-Five hundred men from the fleet took part in the procession. They carried arms, but no ammunition, in accordance with an arrangement which was made the night before.
 A hitch occurred in the original ar engagements when, soon after the ar rival of the Americans at this port, it was learned by Admiral Sperry that owing to the imperial regulations the landing of armed men in Australia would be barred Admiral Sperry immediately notified the government that unless his men were permitted to carry arms they would take part in no parade. An amicable arrangement was reached on this point, however, without difficulty, the commonwealth government granting permission for American ssilors and marines to carry arms but no ammunition.
 The attachments from the various ships were headed by color bearers and accompanied by the ships band Their marching was commented upon with admiration, and they were cheered on every hand. All the streets along the route were profusely decor ated and lined with federal troops and police.