New-York tribune., 1908-08-20
THE FLEET AT SYDNEY
4 WONDERFUL WELCOME.
Half q Million Persons Cheer Ar
rioaL of Battleshps

Sydney \. s w. Aug. 20-Early this morn
ing thin veil of smoke on the horizon sgnalled
to the watchers on the coast the approach of
the American batteships, and a. 3:33 o'clock
official notification was sent out that the fleet
had ,een sighted. 1t was then twenty miles
outside of Sydney Harbor. but the news, which
had been awaited eagerly by tens of thousands,
stirred Australians like call to arms. and al
NEST instantly those who had not already left
the city to take points of vantage along the bays
were moving in droves to line the quays, the
rooftops and other places on the harbor front to
tch the entry Of the varshirs-
The day broke bright and clear, and SO intense
IS the interest in the arrival of the fleet that
half the populace remained awake the entire
night, d thousands upon thousands of them,
long before the night was over. were on their
way to the hilltops outside of the city limits,
where they massed. seemingly in unbroken lines,
along the coast from Bondf Beach to Manly.
It is e-timated that five hundred thousand per
sons assembled TO give the visitors royal wei
come Sydney Rarbor, with its innumerable
bays coves and branches. never looked more
beautiful nor did the American sailors ever wit
mes more inspiring sight than that which met
their eyes as the white ships came. through the
channel. past the great headlands into Port
Jackson.
A hundred thousand people, the greatest single
asserblage of all. gathered the South Head
where a magnificent view of the whole scene
was to be had. Hundreds of craft of all kinds
moved up and down even at that early hour, all
the waters with the exception of the Fa1rway
and the anchorages being dotted with little and
big vessels decorated in every conceivable man
ner with flags and bunting
In nerfect alignment the flagship Connecticut
leading. with Rear Admiral Sperry on the
bridge the warships came out of the horizon
in double
column at intervals of 900 yards the ships
locked to have a world of speed and power
under their glstening sides The fleet was at
tended by convoy steamers and was greeted
with a roar of saIutes from the forts as It
steamed slowly along. The thousands ashore
and afoat added their cheers to swell the noisy
welcome and countless British and American
flags were flung to the breeze and still were
waving long after the anchors had been swung
from the sides.
The American ships doomed forth salute to
the port and as soon as they we're moored at
+beir anchorages official visits were exchanged
The fleet left Auckland at S:1J on Saturday
morning and with the exception of one day had
fair weather all the way to sydney. on Tues
dav the warships encountered heavy winds.
which threw up a stiff head sea, greatly re
+ar5ine their progress. Throughout Tuesday
nipht the high seas caused the larger ships to
roll at least twenty degrees. while the auxil-
tarfes suffered even more severely. There was
considerable discomfort for all the men, and the
intervals between the vessels were increased to
600 wards The formation. however was not
changed No evoIutions were indUlged in on
account of the heavy weather during this
period. but this abated the following day. when
the ships were about hundred and sixty
miles from port
Speed was then increased TO twelve knots
and although the hospital ship Relief was left
behind. the others reached the coast on schedule
time the Americans being as anxious as the
Australians to take part in the receptions and
festivals which have been prepared