AUSTRALIA’S WELCOME

Evening Star, Issue 19001, 24 July 1925, Page 5

AUSTRALIA’S WELCOME

AMERICAN FLEET ARRIVES DECORATIONS AND FUNCTIONS Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. SYDNEY, July 23. _ Admiral Robison’s flagship California led the procession of eight visiting warships—the West Virginia, the Colorado, the Tennessee, the Siaryland, the New Mexico, the Idaho, the Mississipi, and the hospital ship Relief—up Sydney Harbor. The first sight of the California's nose inside the harbor was tiie signal for a mighty outburst of cheering, “ cockadoodlinr;,” and flag-waving, which was maintained until the great ships swung gracefully to their anchorages in two lines on the Kirribilli Point and Rose Bay sides of the harbor. SALUTE OF GUNS.

The steamers convoying the Ministry and State guests met the fleet at tho Heads and accompanied the procession, a combined squadron of American ami Australian airships manoeuvring overhead. The California’s guns thundered a salute in reply to the greeting, and later, when the American admirals landed, the compliment was returned, and the city again reverberated with the sounds of a salute of seventeen guns.

The rest of the forenoon and the early afternoon were spent in making official calls. The crowds meantime drifted hack to the city and massed themselves along the brilliantly-deco-rated route of march for 2,000 oi Uncle Sam’s men. Though the chief decorations were centred along the route, the flags were flying everywhere. The town was in gala garb and full of visitors, taking advantage of the public holiday. ROUTE MARCH. NO MARKED ENTHUSIASM. SYDNEY, July 23. The march of America’s 2,000 naval aseu was not marked by an overflow of enthusiasm. Cheering on the part of the spectators was not greatly in evidence, but was still sufficient to demonstrate that “ we all love Jack,” whatever may he his nationality. The route was a long one. From tho landing point at Woolloomoolloo Bay it traversed the principal streets to the Town Hall, and thence wound round to the starting point, yet every inch was packed with onlookers. The long blue column swung past with a lino rhythm, responsive to the welcome given them. The bands played ‘ Yankee Doodle,’ ‘The Star-spangled Banner,’ ‘Way Down in Dixie,’ and other tunes dear to their hearts, and the banners' across the streets and upon the buildings carried the legends “ Welcome to Unde Sam’s Boys,” “ Welcome to Our American Cousins,” and other similar devices. A matter of comment was the vonthfulnoss of the great bulk of Americans. The march was a very fine demonstration of the efficiency of the (loot ’s ratings, but it lacked just that little touch of daredevil rolling “swank” with which the salted British naval ratings carry it off with their bell-mouthed trousers. All street traffic was stopped during the march. The functions to-night include a dinner at the Town Hall to the Admiral and officers of the fleet by tho Federal and State Governments, and a dinner to 1,000 petty officers and men. PREPARATIONS IN MELBOURNE MELBOURNE, July 23. The city is en fete for the arrival of the fleet, though the street bunting and other decorations will not show at their best, owing to the rain which fell yesterday. The entry at the Heads will be made at 10 in the morning, and tho licet will then steam up the bay, berthing at 2 o’clock. Melbourne’s section of the fleet consists of Admiral Coontz’s flagship (the Seattle), and the Pennsylvania, the Nevada, the Oklahoma, tho Richmond, the Marble Head, the Trenton, the Memphis, tho Melville, and a number of smaller vessels.

A wireless message from the Seattle last night stated Hint tho Hoot was kicking its way to Melbourne through stormy weather ami a rough sea. As a result of this the vessels, on which great preparations had been made for landing, would not on arrival bo as spic and span as could have been desired.

ARRIVAL IN GALE. MELBOURNE, July 2d. The American fleet arrived m heavy rain, icy weather, and a raging gale. Notwithstanding the inclement conditions, enormous crowds viewed the mag-, nificent spectacle of the ships driving through the boiling cauldron of the entrance to Port Phillip. Inside the Heads the weather was slightly clearer, and, braving the rain, an enormous flotilla of small craft met the fleet and accompanied it up the harbor. SEAMEN’S UNGRACIOUS ACTION. MELBOURNE, July 23. The steamer Weerona, with over 1,000 notabilities on board to view the entry of the American fleet, was held up, the seamen refusing to lake tho vessel to sea until Mr Bruce, who they thought was ou hoard, had publu'iy apologised for his _ remarks concerning the seamen made in tho House of Representatives during the debate on the Immigration Bill. The demand was dis-

dainfnllv refused, and tho guests came ashore.' Later the party embarked on another steamer. SOVEREIGNS TO SPEND PAY TO BE ISSUED IN GOLD Not the least interesting feature of the visit of the American licet to Australia and New Zealand will be the fact that sovereigns will appear in circulation during its stay in those waters. Wiiiic in Australian and New Zealand ports the sailors will receive their pay in gold, so that for a lime at any rate the piocious metal should not be nearly so rare as it is at present. After the departure of the Hoot it is anticipated the sovereigns will soon disappear again, as it is not likely they will be reissued when once paid into the banks. The object of paying Hie seamen in gold is to avoid exchange difficulties. The fleet is bringing its own supply of gold for the purpose, and it will be coined into sovereigns at tho mint at Sydney. The paymaster of tho fleet, Gaptain W. A. Merritt, is reported to have stated that gold to tho value of two million dollars is being brought out, and that approximately 1,200,000d0l or it are for Sydney and 800,000 for Melbourne.

It is not staled what proportion of the gold may be expected to reach New Zealand. The Sydney hoard is in the strong rooms of the California, while that for Melbourne is aboard tho Omaha. With this gold there will, of course, be no exchange costs, but merely the mintage, which is said to

amount to 3d an ounce. It is understood tho hanks will not pay out any sovereigns for tho fleet, but will rather gather in those released by the sailors. On the day when the fleet arrives in Sydney 10,000 arc to have shore leave, and provided the mint has everything in readiness each man should carry about five sovereigns in liis pockets. Thus a flood of nearly fill,00!) sovereigns should lie set free in Sydney. According to Captain Merritt, the two million dollars’ worth of gold is all the fleet will have to spend in Australia and Now Zealand, but it should ho more than enough, and ho expects to reach homo with a credit balance in hand.

LADIES OF THE FLEET ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND It was with very mixed feelings that a group of ladies leaned" over the deck rails of the Niagara and obtained their first view of Auckland (states the ‘Herald’). They worn Hie wives of officers of the United Slates fleet, on route to Sydney to join in Australia's official welcome to the naval guests. And, instead of bestowing upon Auckland a nod and a “ till-we-moet-again ” smile and blithely passing on their way, the officers’ ladies suddenly found themselves caught in the backwash of a strike movement, marooned for four days, and uncertain whether they would bo able to get safely away from Sydney even after they had got there. So that it was not surprising, all things considered, that tho ladies of the fleet wore an anxious, even aggrieved, look, as they gazed out over the wharf sheds and talked things over.

One felt instinctively that this was one of the occasions when the beauties of the AVaitemata and the symmetry of Rangitoto should bo strictly avoided as the basis of an interview. Boats, berths, reservations—there were tho only things that mattered. How was tbo Union Company going to get them over the Tasman, and, oven more im-

portant, how was tho company going to get them_ hack again. It was not until a hurried visit had been, paid to tho company's office, and assurance given that, although tho ladies might be a few days late for Australia’s welcome, they would be brought back to Auckland in time for the local celebrations, that the visitors were able to voice a few impressions of their Pacific trip and stay in Honolulu. Among those who arrived aro Airs J. G. B. Grorner, whose husband is Lieu-tenant-commander and navigator of the Seattle, the admiral’s flagship, Mrs Tally Shelly, wife of Admiral Coontz’s flag-lieutenant, Mesdamcs John Lewis, Mac Daniel, Basse, Hendol, Horne, and Lutken.

They agreed that tho tour, up to the present, had been a great success. Throe months had boon spent in beautiful Honolulu, where the days and nights bad passed in a round of gaiety and social festivities. In addition to tho usual round of dances and parties, there had been surfing and pickniclcing, and a form of entertainment known to Hawaiians as “ Inaus,” which finds its counterpart in the American barbecue and the New Zealand “ Maori.” Native foods are cooked outdoors in heated pits, or in other primitive methods, and oaten with much gusto without the aid of modern implements. The feast was followed by exhibitions of hula dancing, some of which the ladies of the fleet approved, and some of which they did not. A graphic account of the fleet manoeuvres was given by Mrs Oromer, the idea being that Honolulu should bo “ taken ” by the navy from the land forces. The National Guard was called out, and, amid tense excitement, the navy, after a terrific bombardment, tried to send ashore landing parties by aeroplanes and row boats. Some of the latter were upset in the surf, but the marines made good their landing, and beautiful Honolulu was captured. Some of the officers’ wives are making their first trip across the Pacific, others have been “ followers of the fleet ” for years. One lady explained that the custom is for the officers to spend three jears at sea and three ashore. Their wives follow them wher-

ever possible, save in cases where there are young children. Sometimes there aro long spoils in tho homo ports, which arc always welcomed by the married men. San Diego is one of the homo ports for destroyers, and San hiancisco and Los Angelos claim the Battleships. One of the Indies who arrived here has been “ following the fleet ” for fifteen years past, in which time she has crossed the American continent some forty or fifty times, has made many trip's to Honolulu, visited tho Phillipines, and almost every port in North and South America. Tho present cruise, which will extend over six months, is the longest she has o\cr taken, and this will ho 101 l owed next year by a three mouths' trip to the ports oi South America. AUCKLAND’S PREPARATIONS [Pee United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, July 24. The City Council decided to allow the men of tl'ie American fleet to use^ the city tramways free of charge. M hen the matter was under discussion it was suggested that an exception be made in the case of the two race days duinig the fortnight of the fleet’s stay, when nnusuallv heavy crowds have to bo cairied to tho course: but it was finally agreed that there bo no restriction to the concession. It was mentioned that the Railway Department might very well put on'an extra train for the conveyance of tho men, and so relieve tho tram service of some of the traffic.