AMERICAN FLEET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 159, 30 March 1908, Page 7

AMERICAN FLEET.

TO VISIT AUCKLAND. 'CORDIAL INVITATION APPRECIATED. BV TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOOIATIONT-COrTEIOnT (Rcc. March 30, 12.52 a.m.) : : London, March 29. Router's Washington correspondent states that tho Nnvy Department has practically decided to. pormit the United States Fleet to visit Auckland on its. way to Sydney, knowing that .thero, is an ample supply of good coal in Now Zealand, and being.anxious to' show appreciation of- Now Zealand's prompt and , cordial invitation. Our 'Auckland correspondent recently an-, nounced that an, .effort had been initiated by'the "Herald": to. havo the visit of ■■tho. United States' Fleet "extended to. Auckland'. The "Herald" pointed, out that:; The fleet will' have -to pass -close .to 'Auckland on its. way from Samoa'. to Australia; : so - that comparatively little inconvenience or delay would bo involved ' in": touching at this■■ port,' which for so many years was .the{port of arrival and departure for tho San Francisco mail steamers. Apart from the close and friendly relations that have always existed between the people of the Dominion and their kinsfolk across tho Pacific," and " their growing - commercial ,'intcrcourso, -the. visit of the: fleet. would .be_ singularly appropriate, inasmuch as New Zealand is the litorest to tho American seaboard of tho Great -British in .this quarter' of the globe, and is probably. .the. one that; has excited tho keenest -interest among the 'American people.,, President'; Eoosevelt himself . lias 'on more ' than ono :• occasion ' given ' expression to the warm'regard •which ho: entertains for New Zealand,, and to- the deep interest which ho,' takes in our affairs," . Subsequently ; Sir Joseph Ward announced that ho had made ■representationsthrough •His. Excellency ;.tho Governor, and also tho American CkinsmGeneral; inviting the • American ■ fleet to visit Now Zealand.. - ■ : ; ■