THE AUSTRALIAN FLEET

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 59, 6 September 1913, Page 9

THE AUSTRALIAN FLEET

WELCOME TO THE FLAGSHIP. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, 30th August. A day, 4th October, has been fixed toy the official entry Of the AustraliafrFleet to the Commonwealth by steaming into Sydney Harbour The flagship Australia and her consorts, the second-class cruisers, are to enter Sydney Heads on the morning of that day. Various preparations are buing made for the official and public celebration of the occasion at Sydney It is probably not doing an injustice to say that these preparations are being made with all 'the more zest on account of the fact that the- rival capital, Melbourne, will, for the time being at any rate, be denied the opportunity of giving a reception to the new Australian flagship, because it J6 held that, the present depth of water at the entrance of Port Phillip, is not uufficient to allow of th 6( safe paaiage of so largo a 'vessel as the Australia. The recent visit of H.M.S. New Zealand drew attention to the inadequate facilities of some of the Australian ports. It was only by reducing her draught to 29ft 9in, and selecting a high tide and a calm sea that tho New Zealand could negotiate the Rip at the Port Phillip entrance. The Australia io' about 500 tons heavier than the New Zealand, and she is 1 too costly a «hip to be isubiected to the risk of a bump on the bottom. Tho Melbourne Harbour authorities aTO being urged to use all possible expedition in having the rocky floor of the entrance lowered sufficiently to give pafe access to the big ships of the present day, and to remove the disabilities of Melbourne as a shipping port, which the people of Sidney Harbour do not hesitate to advertise.