AMERICA’S MIGHTY FLEET

Evening Star, Issue 18999, 22 July 1925, Page 6

AMERICA’S MIGHTY FLEET

HEARING AUSTRALIA UNITS PAID ON ARRIVAL (By radio from the Special Representative of the Australian Press Association.) THE SEATTLE, July 22. (Received July 22, at 9.35 a.m.) Yesterday afternoon an amateur wireless operator at Caterham, England, listened for twenty minutes while Lieutenant Schnell gave him an account of the fleet journey from Honolulu to Australia and the details of the programme of entertainment which the Australians have prepared. The amateur’s name is T. Marcuse, and his call is 2NM. He was sending on Torty-five metres, while Lieutenant Schnell used thirty-nine metres. Lieutenant Schnell said that Mr Marcuse’s signals were so clear that they could be heard 3ft from the ear-pieces. A radio from the battleship Mississippi says that, swinging into cruising formation, battleship divisions 4 and 5, forming the detachment which is to visit Sydney, have separated from the other ships of the fleet, and are now proceeding northward at a speed of twelve knots, so that the detachment may arrive at Sydney at the same time that the other detachment roaches Melbourne. The California, the flagship of the battle fleet, will probably lead the ships into the harbor.

Admiral S. S. Robison commands the Sydney detachment. Drills en route have brought the fleet’s gunnery to a high point of efficiency.

The officers and men will receive their pay in Australian money on the day of arrival. A VERSATILE BLUEJACKET.

Probably the most, versatile bluejacket of tho fleet is Francis Augustine, {.god twenty-three years, who comes from Washington. He is the light-heavy-weight champion of the Atlantic scouting fleet, and a member of tho fleet swimming, sculling, football, and wrestling teams. Augustine is the best actor in the Atlantic scouting fleet, writing his own parts. He is gunner’s mate in the third class, and is one of tho best liked men in tho fleet. He weighs 11.6, and fought in the final for the middle-weight championship of the fleet during the stay at Hawaii, but was defeated on a decision. With twenty minutes' rest he entered the ring for the final of the light-heavy-weight championship. Despite a protest from the director of athletics, it was only after the doctor’s examination in tho ring that Augustine was permitted to proceed. Ho won this fight.

WASHINGTON, July 21. (Received July 22, at 9.65 a.m.) Some noteworthy performances in radio communication have boon achieved in connection with dispatches from tho American fleet, on route to Australia. Captain APLean, Director of Naval Communications, stated that two-way communication had boon established between Washington and the cruiser Seattle in the vicinity of Samoa, The destroyer Pope, at Shanghai, hold reciprocal communications with tho fleet. The Peary, the flagship of the Macmillan Arctic Expedition, which is nearly in Labrador, heard the fleet on dulv 7, and an amateur at Johannesburg, South Africa, received shortwave signals from tho fleet in the vicinity of Hawaii. —A. and N.Z. Cable. THE SEPARATION. SYDNEY, July 22. (Received July 22, at 11.20 a.m.) *A wireless from the American fleet, sixty miles off Gabo Head, states that a), fi o'clock last evening the fleet

'A wireless from the American fleet, sixty miles off Gabo Head, states that at 6 o’clock last evening the fleet divided. The Melbourne division continued south and the Sydney division turned north. Heavy rain fell throughout the day, and seas were short and choppy. Admirals Coontz and 11 obison exchanged farewell messages. While the two divisions will meet again after the New Zealand visit, the admirals will not see each other till they reach Pago Pago. It was just getting dark when, with flashing searchlights playing farofell, the detachments lost sight of each other. Owing to the fact that the battleships are drawing 30ft, they will probably not enter Melbourne till high water, about noon. Tbo smaller vessels will enter earlier. MOERAKI’S EXPERIENCE. MEETS FLEET AT SEA. SYDNEY, July 23. (Received July 22, at 11.25 a.m.) The Mooraki, en route from New Zealand, had the unique experience of passing through the American fleet. The sea was like glass, and early Lu tbo morning the advance guard of the fleet was sighted. Gradually all the ships of war came into sight. As soon as tbo fleet was observed tbo captain of the Mooraki ordered all tbo passengers to bo aroused, and tbo docks were soon lined with an admiring throng. Gradually the paths of tbo fleet and the Moeraki converged, and the captain of the Union Company’s vessel altered her course so as not to break the fleet’s formation.

The Mooraki passed between the battleships and the flagship Seattle. She was steaming between twelve and thirteen knots an hour, the fleet doing a little loss. It seemed hardly to move. Shortly the fleet was riding the horizon, then the vessels disappeared one by one. It was a. memorable sight, that will never he forgotten by the passengers. A BOOMERANG FAR&3 PREPARING FOR THE FLEET “ My people own a boomerang farm at Coogee, and I look after the hooks.” That story was frequently told by Australian Diggers in England during the war. But there is a boomerang farm, or a boomerang factory, at La Porou.se. Aborigines on the settlement are shareholders, and they are working overtime to increase the output. For many years, things have boon slack in the boomerang business, but the abos. hope to have a profitable market opened up in Sydney during tlio next few. weeks.

Big stocks are being got ready for sale to the sailors and officers of tho American fleet. ALL ARE WORKING.

Old, middle-aged, and young abos. are working with a will. In a couple of weeks (says the Sydney ‘ Guardian ’) stocks of boomerangs at various prices will be in the “shop window ” ready for the big demand. Some abos. are hewing the rough wood from ti-trees and other varieties of timber. Tomahawks in the hands of stalwart abos. do the rough work. Then comes tho refining process. The boomerangs come out_ of an improvised vice, finished articles. The best will be sold to the Americans at 4s each; others at 2s. Wesley Sinns is tho champion boomerang thrower at tho settlement. He also holds the championship of the State. Already he has “ thrown ” for Mrs Coontz, wife of the American admiral.

The performance fascinated her, and she has promised to take the admiral out to La Perouse to see the show to be specially staged tor tho fleet’s benefit. Sinns also made the boomerang fall at Lord Jellicoe’s feet when he visited the settlement prior to leaving for England.