The Dominion. MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 1908. THE AMERICAN FLEET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 272, 10 August 1908, Page 6

The Dominion. MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 1908. THE AMERICAN FLEET.

The long-expected visit to New Zealand of the squadron of United States battleships is now an accomplished fact, and for'the rest of th'is week tho people of Auckland will bo busy with their agreeable duty- of making our interesting visitors heartily welcome to New Zealand. For months past our Auckland friends have been making preparations to ensure that tho visitors will carry away pleasant memories of this country, and everybody will hope that the coming festivities will be thoroughly successful. This" is the first occasion upon which so largo a foreign naval force has been seen in New Zealand waters, and tho cruise of tho Fleet is itsolf unique in naval annals. But tho visit is interesting to New Zcalanders on other grouijds than its picturesquencss and singularity. As a British Dominion, New Zealand has an interest in the United States which it cannot have in any other foreign Power. We feel that we aro of tho same blood as oui! American friends. The fundamental traditions of America and Great Britain aro ono and tho same: both countries hold many, vital affections in com-

mon. There is thereforo something more than ordinary courtesy and cordiality in the greeting that New Zealand gives to the Fleet. Many speeches will bo delivered during the week, ancl we shall be interested to observe the tone that is adopted by the representatives of this country. Courtesy and a special cordiality there will certr.inly be, as there should be. America is not only a Power friendly to Britain, but a Power related to Britain by many ties. Those facts are excuse enough for an abundance of good feeling. But there is, unfortunately, a body of opinion in Australasia that sees more, or professes to see more, or will attempt to argue more, in.the visit.than New Zealand ought to sec. In some quarters in Australia the visit of the Fleet is being interpreted as a sign of America's determination to keep the control of the Pacific in white hands, and the Australasian public is being urged with sensational emphasis to welcome the visitors because, to put it plainly, their presence hero means that America will assist Australasia in carrying out its policy of excluding Asiatic immigration and protect it in the event of Asiatic invasion. Wo sincerely trust that the coming festivities' will be kept free from the faintest echo of this mischievous nonsense. Japan and America are friendly Powers. They have had their differences, but these have been honourably settled, and sober Americans will not care for any Australasian suggestion that the cruise of the Fleet, and its visit to Australasia, are broad hints to Japan or to anyone else. The Fleet is very welcome, as' we have said —it may be said, indeed, without offence to any other Power, that it is more welcome than the visit of any other foreign Fleet—but it should be the concern of our spokesmen to avoid importing into their speeches of welcome any suggestion that America is any more to us as a nava) Power than any other friendly nation. It should be clearly understood that in welcoming the visitors New Zealand has America in mind, not as an ally in any policy of offence or dcfcnce, but merely as a friendly Power whom we are pleased to recognise as a distant relative. While the British Navy exists, our relations with foreign naval visitors can be social- only. Nor do we think that our visitors expcct more from us.