UNITED STATES FLEET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 219, 9 June 1908, Page 2

UNITED STATES FLEET.

AUCKLAND ARRANGEMENTS. • [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION,] Auckland, Jnno 8. The Floct Reception Executive met to-day, and generally approved of tho programme which was outlined by the Mayor ' (Mr. A. M. Myers) at last Friday's general meeting. Tho Government Commissioners were present and went into' details with the Executive. The Executive has decided; in accordanco with tho wish of Admiral Sherry, that no alcoholic liquor shall bo supplied to the men at the entertainments to be given to them: Tho Auckland Racing Club will hold' 'a mooting to-morrow to discuss tho desirability of holding a special : race-meeting oil Tuesday afternoon "of tho fleet's ' visit' in connection with tho military gymkhana proposed to be held on that day. Tho whole of tho Volunteers of tho'Auckland province will take part in the reviewon Monday, August. 10, and the gymkhana the next day. Tho Government will hand tho local committee £500 towards the. cost of tho lunch for tho men of American fleet-. -During the week the Government intend to illuminate the Government Buildings, 'Auckland, utilising' the fittings used on the occasion or jjjio .visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Tho Mayor invites all persons having accommodation for visitors during tho Fleet; Week to communicate with the-local bureau'established for the' purpose; • ■■

; COA£ AND FOOD SUPPLIES. (BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT). • . ' Christohurch, June 8. : Vjaptam Swan, of the steamer Otterburn, now lying in Lyttelton Harbour, has much to say about tho American fleet, for his steamer was .one of the 23 British vessels which supplied the coal for tlio fleet during its 'lone journey from the 1 Atlantic to - thV' Pacific. Only British vessels wero employed'for this purpose, and when Captain Swan asked some or tho _ American officers how they would get on in tho event of a war being declared with regard to the coaling of. their big fleet of battleships,- they admitted'that they-would bo in somewhat of a difficulty,for want-of \ osscls to carry tho huge quantity of coal -required Captain Swan stated that the coal supplied to the fleet:, cost about' 13s.' a • ton put on board his vessel at added to this thore was-a freight of 255;,6d. per ton for 6000 tons carried by :the,; Otterburn to Magdalena Bay. :■ He has received word that a new. steamer named Bannockburn built for his firm and launched, this month was reported to have been chartered to .. load a large cargo ; of,-• American coal • from -..Newport (Virginia) 5° .Sydney, a distance of' .about 14,000 miles. ■ 'Carrying coals to Newcastle, i I ls only 60 miles by sea from Newcastle, remarked. Captain Swan, "arid at enormous expense." " Tho American ships," • . said ~ i'\. -■ ® wan >, ' "carry ■ everything with . them. . -The .store ships are' the Glacier, formerly the Port Chalmers and the Calgoa, both of which wero at one time regular _ traders from Australia. to England. Both of these vessels. have insulated liolds, ■ and carry large supplies of.-American frozen mutton and-beef for tho fleet. The battleships themselves aro also weir stocked with all kinds of stores. The store ships.ialso. carry preserved vegetables, preserved meats, and fish, and' even the supplies for the men's canteens right'down to candy and chocolates and goods of that ' sort./■ They ' make/all their _own bread on board their ships from ! American .flour, which they, carry:.themselves. . They certainly , live . very well,, arid I was informed by some of their.officers that the feeding of' the 14,000 odd men costs 35 cents per man .per day. • They seemed to be a 'fairjy good.'crowd of men, ;and jvero in good health.,/;Thp officers wete also a good lot,-but th.ey..are / not of the; same, class!as the officers, of. : the l ßritish."!Nivy.:; 'They sepm to be- in States Navy "to. earn their living,'-'Antl. they :said plainly,'.that they had no money to'spend, and that they could dp no entertaining, v as,.they,.had. not,.got, the cash. The civic arid' Government'' officials ■willtibei royally; entertained ati'the. expense of the. .United States- Government; 'but', as far as public, entertaining by tb'e officers and men themselves is concerned, 'I'think there will be very little of that." •>