THE DEPARTURE OF THE FLEET

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 278, 17 August 1908, Page 6

THE DEPARTURE OF THE FLEET

The visit of the American Fleet of battleships to New Zealand must have proved a pleasant one to officers and men, and it is satisfactory to think that the celebrations and festivities passed off without any serious hitch. It was not to.be expected that several thousand men-o'-warsmcn could be turned loose into any city of the size of our New Zealand cities without on occasions making their presence appreciably felt, and during the closing hours of tho Fleet's visit there appear to have been some rather exciting) incidents. Only one, however, really] calls for comment. It is stated in a! telegram received by our evening con--temporary, and published in last Saturday s issue, that a jiatrol from one of the warships, in arresting a drunkenj sailor, knocked him about to such an; extent that the street crowd became] threatening enough to lead the oflicer in charge of the patrol to instruct his men; to draw their revolvers. This 'story, if correct, is significant. How comes it that this force of foreign men-o'-warsmen was permitted to land with arms? And what conditions must exist in tho American Navy if shoro police, un addition to carrying batons, require to be armed with revolvers, and produce them on such slight provocation 1 It is not pleasant to think of the possible ending to tho Fleet's/ visit had the weapons been used, even if] only to overawe tho crowd. The incident, j if correctly reported, is instructive, how-J ever, and should act as a lesson to those )i enthusiastic persons .who, in moments of' oxcitement, arc over-ready to relax pre-, cautions which tho oxporionco of older! nations bus ehown to bo adviaablo. A

satisfactory feature of the visit has been the proper restraint which mcst qf the speakers at the various celebrations have imposed upon themselves. Reading their remarks in cold blood now that the glamour of the occasion has passed, some may blush at their somewhat extravagant flights, but for the most part they were harmless enough. The citizens of Auckland ccrtainly deserve the congratulations and the thanks of the whole Dominion for the manner in which they rose to the occasion in extending to the visitors that hearty hospitality upon which New Zealanders are prone to pride themselves in connection with the visits of strangers to their country. AVc have made it plain in previous articles that we do not attach that importance and significance to the visit of the American Fleet which some people profess to see in it. At the same time it was undoubtedly a notable, event, and so long as our American friends recognisc the true spirit in which they were welcomed-, there is likelihood of good resulting from the visit.