SPERRY'S FLEET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 409, 19 January 1909, Page 5

SPERRY'S FLEET.

NEARING HOME. SALUTARY NON-ENTEBTAININC. THE AUCKLAND "FIGHT," (nr TELEGIt A I'll—l'll ESS ASSOCIATION—COPVIHQUT.) (Roc. January 18, 9.52 p.m.) London, January 18. The men of Admiral Sporry's; United States fleet (which' arrived in the Mediterranean early in January, via Suez) have had very little shore leave since quitting China. Tho rosult is that tho crews are returning homo in much better shape than if the entertaining had hoen continued. Their greatest impression, as they declared at Malta, was the kindness of the Australians and the Japanese, and tho fight in New Zealand, in which they admiringly admit, in their own words, "One Britisher licked six of us." -THE INCIDENT OF THE FLAGS. The only thing, it-would seam,' that approached a 'fight" in New Zealand was the iiags /incident in Auckland, It was reported at the. time that a United States sailor, seeing a 'Stars and Stripes" and a "Union Jack" waving. together ; plaeed > the former above the latter. A_ British bluejacket came along, climbed the pole, and reversed the positions. "An angry roar went up from several hundred American throats, and as the Britisher dropped to the ground, tho American who had beea originally responsible for the troutle rushed nt him. The Jack tar knew how to use liis fists, however, and the American wont down like a log.- Several members of the Fleet patrol picked their man up, and hustled him away, while a crowd of oitizens surrounded the Britisher. For' a while it looked as though a riot was imminent, and there was an uneasy feeling in the air. About 700 Americans and a large crowd of British tars were surging about the scone of the fracas. A true ohord of the good feeling which prevailed, however, turned the situation from one of gravity to that of enthusiasm. A bluejacket, pushing his way along the street all alone, singing happily to himself, and waving the Stars and Stripes ;o the accompaniment of his own music, took in the situation at a glance. ClAmbsring up the pole with monkey-like agility, he thrnst his flag into ihe socket from which the other bannerette had been torn, .longside the Union Jack, and the two colours mingled together again. Prom his vantage ground at the top of the pole ho drawled out with a happy l . Yankee twang, 'Boys, I guess this is jnst how it ought to be. Not one above the other, but side, by side.' Instantly the scene Was changed. The. tension gave way to light-heartedness, and cheer upon cheer rang through the air."